


Tikki's New Friend

by panda013 (Amiria_Raven)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, F/M, Plagg as a cat - Freeform, Tikki as a dog, adorable awkward 22 year olds, mentions of Plagg, prompt from tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-05-03 04:23:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 100,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5276462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amiria_Raven/pseuds/panda013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The dog was easily the height of his chest, and the young woman walking it could have only come up to his shoulder. But she was just cheerfully walking along beside the dog, chatting and laughing happily with a redheaded young woman. The dog was a big black beast—he didn’t know the breed then, nor did he particularly care, but it whined pitifully when its equally dark-haired owner paused to read a street sign. She just giggled and reached out a hand to ruffle its fur, and the giant's tail wagged happily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This happened because of a prompt on Tumblr, and is also posted under panda013.

The first time he saw them, the only thing that Adrien could think was _that is the biggest dog that I have **ever** seen and she is so tiny how is it not dragging her behind it?_

The dog was easily the height of his chest, and the young woman walking it could have only come up to his shoulder. But she was just cheerfully walking along beside the dog, chatting and laughing happily with a redheaded young woman. The dog was a big black beast—he didn’t know the breed then, nor did he particularly care, but it whined pitifully when its equally dark-haired owner paused to read a street sign. She just giggled and reached out a hand to ruffle its fur, and the giant's tail wagged happily.

Adrien’s hat blew away, and he cursed, looking for it. It would be just his luck if the hat flew beyond his reach, leaving him to be mobbed by his fans on the way home.

But no…there it was, caught against the corner of the building next to him. In a few short steps, he’d snatched it up and dusted it off, smashing it on top of his golden locks as quickly as possible. Something drew his eyes back to the woman and her dog, though, and he found the giant thing staring at him, tongue hanging out and tail wagging. It gave a light bark, and then turned to follow the woman and her friend.

* * *

 

The second time, it was raining.

He found himself drawn back to the little park, even though he’d never been fond of the rain. Adrien doubted that he’d see them again, but the slight chance that he _would_ was enough to send him wandering some of the slick trails, peering through the trees until he came across the clearing in the center of the park. A fountain stood proudly in the center, still running despite the downpour, and he tugged his hood farther over his face and walked over to it.

Before he reached it, he heard a high pitched squeal, and then laughter. His green eyes sought the sound immediately, and there they were, girl and dog, in matching ladybug patterned raingear.

 _Frolicking_.

That was the best word he had for what they were doing, splashing through puddles. She wasn’t even holding onto the leash, and her hood had fallen. Her dark hair was plastered to her pink cheeks, her mouth opened in a bout of laughter that sent a strange jolt through him.

And then the huge dog noticed him.

He knew now that it was a Newfoundland—notoriously gentle, supposedly good with kids—but this dog was _definitely_ bigger than the average, and it was heading towards him.

“Tikki, what are you doing?” the young woman’s voice came through the rain, but the big dog just barked happily, circling around behind Adrien and then nudging him forward.

“Whoa!”

The giant dog, Tikki, barked again, running back around the boy and leaping into a puddle. Water splashed up on its owner, and the woman giggled, splashing some water back at the energetic creature before looking up at Adrien and pushing wet hair from her face.

“I’m sorry about that! Tikki really loves to play. She’s a good dog, even if she is such a giant!” The young woman laughed, reaching over and rubbing between Tikki’s ears.

“No, it’s fine!” Adrien said quickly, laughing as the dog bounded back over to him, wagging her tail. He reached out tentatively to pet her, and she barked happily, bouncing around in a circle and splashing him. “You don’t have to apologize, she’s just being playful!”

She nudged him forward again and he stumbled a bit, but Adrien couldn’t help laughing as the dark-haired woman gasped and rushed forward. She caught his arm and looked up at him, her wide blue eyes filled with apologies, and suddenly he couldn’t think straight anymore. Her lips were moving and he wasn’t hearing anything she was saying, even though he knew he needed to be paying attention.

“—re you sure you’re alright? She’s such a big dog and I know she’s a handful but—“

“I’m fine, really!” he found his voice, and he started laughing. “She just thinks I should be playing too, isn’t that it?”

He straightened and she removed her hands from his arm as her Newfoundland frolicked away, splashing in puddles as she went, running up to them excitedly and nudging the woman’s hand insistently before rushing back out to the water, and then repeating the action with Adrien. He couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled forth and finally, with a smile at the dazed woman, he stepped out with her dog and started splashing in puddles, too.

He didn’t care about his photoshoot in two hours. He didn’t care that he didn’t know this young woman’s name. He didn’t even care that his hood fell down and his hair was plastered to his face, or that he’d probably get a cold after this.

This was the most fun he’d had in a very, very long time, and it was all because of this woman and her excitable beast of a dog.

* * *

 

The third time Adrien saw the young woman—how did he not get her name that day in the rain?!—she and her dog were at a playground near one of his photoshoots, and the duo were both playing with the children there. He found himself watching the way she giggled, and he sighed.

Part of Adrien desperately wanted to go over to the woman and her dog and talk to them and play with the children together, but he had a photoshoot in about ten minutes and he had to keep readjusting his hat and pulling his collar up higher because his fans were starting to show up. It seemed that Chloe had once again blogged about the location of his next photoshoot on the _Adriblog_. He should really learn to keep things from her, but it was hard when the blonde had been his only acquaintance growing up.

The redhead he’d seen with Tikki and her owner the first time he’d ever spotted them suddenly appeared, handing the dark-haired young woman a steaming cup and a magazine as one of the children tackled her around the knees. She laughed and started interacting with the children as the other woman beamed and seemingly thanked her profusely.

Tikki glanced at the street café where he was hiding, and when their eyes connected she excitedly wagged her tail and barked.

The young woman quickly leaned over and petted her, shushing her with a soft smile and glancing towards the tables where he sat. He looked down quickly, his heart racing, as he tried to remain completely inconspicuous. He couldn’t be mobbed when the photo crew got here, after all. His father would stop letting him head to his photoshoot locations without the car, and he’d no longer be allowed to indulge in his love of people watching.

But he really wanted to go up and talk to her again.

He had just resolved to at least get up and walk by Tikki, her owner, and the woman’s friend when his phone started to ring. He lifted it from the table beside him, read _Nathalie_ from the caller ID, and answered immediately.

“Hello?”

“ _Adrien, this is Nathalie. We were just informed that the photoshoot has been rescheduled for next week because the photographer is ill and his replacement is in Maui. You’re free to do what you please for the next few hours, but your father requests your presence for supper tonight._ ”

She was always to the point—but he was ecstatic. It gave him a chance to go talk to the woman and her friend, maybe interact with the children a little.

Luck was, for once, on his side.

“Understood, Nathalie. Thank you.”

“ _Goodbye, Adrien. Enjoy your day._ ”

“You too, Nathalie! Goodbye.”

He hung up the phone and then sent a quick text to Chloe: _My photoshoot was cancelled! I’m busy with a few things, though, so I can’t talk._

Within a few moments, he received a notification for a text and a notification that her blog had been updated. A quick glance showed that her text was full of boring complaints about how she wished they could hang out, and her blog update was a short announcement that his photoshoot had been cancelled, along with a few photos from a previous shoot to tide the ladies over until the next time.

Groans sounded from a table slightly behind him and several members of the square’s crowd started to disperse.

When he finally paid for his coffee, he also bought a box of cookies as he made his way over to the group across the street. Most of the children had already been called away by parents, but about three others remained, playing with the redhead and the dog while the dark-haired young woman flipped another page of the magazine, smiled, and took a sip of whatever drink her friend had brought her.

Tikki noticed his approach and barked excitedly, rushing over to him once he was on the appropriate side of the street.

“Whoa, Tikki!” he laughed, holding his hat to make sure it didn’t fly away. He didn’t want the few fans hanging around to rush him, after all. Once he was sure his hat was secure, he reached down to scratch the large hound behind her ear. She let out a pleased whine and licked his hand.

“Tikki, what are you doing?” footsteps sounded, and the dark-haired young woman was coming toward him, her magazine abandoned on the bench, as she came over and started to apologize. “I’m sorry, she’s really friendly, I promise—“

“I know,” he chuckled. “We played in the rain the other day, didn’t we?”

She inhaled quickly and looked up, her blue eyes wide, and then a grin spread across her face and pink lightly dusted her cheeks. “So we did! I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you…oh! I didn’t get your name, did I?! Mine’s Marinette!”

She held out her hand, beaming up at him in a way that made his stomach turn over.

“Adrien,” he took her hand, but she gasped when he said his name and peered closer at him. With a smile, once he’d released her hand, he put a finger to his lips. “Don’t give me away, now. They all just started leaving!”

She flushed as red as the ladybug patterned scarf she was wearing, but she nodded vigorously and smiled brightly.

“It’s n-nice to see you again, A-Adrien!”

“It’s nice to officially meet you, Marinette,” he felt his grin spreading wider than it had in a long time, and he gestured over to her friend and the three children, holding up his box. “I saw you guys over here and I thought I’d bring a snack.”

“You didn’t have to do that!” she immediately cried, flushing, but then she smiled that same bright smile that sent a strange feeling through him. “I’m sure they’ll be happy, though. Why don’t Tikki and I go introduce you? Or should we tell them a different name?”

The playful wink she gave him this time as she exuded a playful sort of confidence was so very different from the shy woman he’d spoken to a second ago, but he saw the red rising in her cheeks and an apology making its way to her lips, so he chuckled.

“I don’t think they’re old enough to recognize me. Your friend might, though.”

“T-true,” she smiled, this time a little shyly. Tikki licked Adrien’s hand once more and bounded ahead of them as they walked. “Do you mind?”

“Not really. As long as she doesn’t start screaming,” he paused, then glanced at the young woman— _Marinette_ —from the side, “Wait…she _won’t_ start screaming, will she?”

“No, no, no!” Marinette chuckled. “Alya’s not really the fangirl type, unless it’s for fashion design. Her first instinct will be to ask for your picture, since she’s a blogger, but she’ll respect it if you tell her no. Usually.”

“Hate to break it to you, Marinette,” Adrien smiled at her, “but I’m the son of a famous fashion designer, and I model for new fashion. Unless she’s more focused on women’s fashion—“

“She is,” the dark-haired girl cut in quickly. “Well, mostly. She runs what she calls the _Ladyblog_ —“

“Does she really?!” Adrien couldn’t help himself at his outburst, and he flushed a little when Marinette looked up at him in surprise. “I mean, I uh, follow her blog. The designs on it are fantastic, and the fact that the model in all of the pictures is also the girl that _makes_ the designs? I’m kind of jealous, to be honest. And the way she maintains anonymity by wearing that ladybug mask? It’s no wonder people are calling her _Ladybug_.”

“Oh, I, uh, _wow_ ,” the woman beside him managed, and he glanced town to see her examining her shoes, her face the reddest it had been. “Y-you must really like her designs, since you follow them so closely!”

He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. She just giggled, and he decided that he really liked the sound.

“Marinette!” the redhead called, glancing over, “Would you mind introducing us to your friend?”

The three children—all little girls, he noticed—giggled as Marinette’s friend shushed them with a grin.

The duo reached the group as one girl ran up to Adrien and tugged at his hand. She beamed at him, a bright smile with two missing teeth, and asked him, “Hi, mister! How do you know Marinette?”

“Manon,” Marinette smiled gently, “it’s polite to ask before grabbing onto someone!”

“It’s fine,” Adrien chuckled, kneeling down beside the children. “You want to know how we met? Well…it was a rainy day, and she was playing with Tikki in a park. Tikki came up and splashed me until I started playing, too! That’s how I met Marinette!”

The girl, Manon, giggled as Marinette groaned. A glance showed that she was covering her face, bright read streaks still showing between her fingers. He grinned.

“I’m Alya,” the other woman introduced herself as Manon went to giggle with the other two girls. “The other two are my kid sisters. I run the _Ladyblog_ and you, sir, look like you could be a model. Would you be interested in modelling some of the male line that Ladybug is working on?”

“ _Alya!_ ” Marinette hissed, and the redhead just laughed.

“I _am_ a model,” Adrien chuckled, lifting his head and grasping her offered hand. “I don’t know that I can take that job, though, no matter how much I’d like to. The name’s Adrien.”

Her jaw dropped and her grip on his fingers faltered as she stared from the blond man to her flushing friend.

“I…wait… _what_?”

He just smiled as charmingly as he could, winking and putting his finger to his lips.

And then Alya blinked, started laughing, and did exactly as Marinette had assumed and asked him if she could take his picture. He let out a playful groan and told her that she could, but only if she would promise _not_ to post it online, although Marinette was urging him not to give in.

All in all, it was the best day he’d had in a long time. Before they had to part ways, when Marinette was due to drop Manon back off at her home, Tikki gave him a very affectionate farewell, and he had to rush back to his apartment in order to shower before his dinner with his father. He still counted himself as incredibly lucky for the day he’d got to spend in relative peace.

* * *

 

The fourth time he met them, he didn’t.

He had just been released from a photoshoot and had managed to escape Chloe and her posse by slipping into a park. It was damp out, and they weren’t about to get their new shoes muddy, not even for him. So he walked between the trees, enjoying the pleasant temperature and slowly recognizing the fountain coming into view in the clearing ahead.

And then, when he broke free into open air, the wind was knocked out of him and he found himself slipping and falling on his rump. At first he was mildly annoyed, but then there came the very pleased sound of a large dog and the black creature planted her rump firmly beside his, sticking her nose against his neck, in his ear, and generally in places that were oddly ticklish. Adrien laughed out loud when her ladybug patterned ID fell into view and wrapped one arm around her, ruffling her fur while she huffed in a happy way.

“What are you doing out here, Tikki?” he asked her playfully as she knocked his hat off and his fake glasses askew. “Where’s Marinette?”

As if on cue, a voice shouted in the distance, “Tikki! Tikki, where did you go!”

“You ran away from her?” Adrien turned to the dog incredulously. As if she knew exactly what he was talking about she stiffened, then avoided his gaze, whining pathetically. The blond reached up to scratch her behind the ears with a chuckle. “Just stay here with me, then. She’ll find us in a few minutes, and then you can apologize. Okay?”

Tikki nuzzled him, once more full of cheer, and he laughed.

“Where did you get to, Tikki?!”

“Marinette!” Adrien decided to take pity on her, slowly standing and looking around for her. “Tikki’s with me by the fountain!”

He heard footsteps thumping heavily on the ground then, and from a nearby path he saw the dark-haired girl, flushed with her hair in disarray, wearing her ladybug patterned raincoat again, rushing towards him. Her blue eyes widened in surprise and he realized, belatedly, that he must look like hell after Tikki’s rather enthusiastic greeting.

“Oh my God, Adrien!” she gasped, pausing to catch her breath with her hands on her knees. “I’m so sorry, did she jump on you?! Tikki! You know you’re not supposed to do that!”

Tikki whined and went over to wrap herself around Marinette’s legs, and the girl stumbled forward. Adrien reacted on instinct and, moments later, he held her under the arms as she caught herself by grasping his arms.

“Whoa, there,” he chuckled lightly, “falling for me already?”

_Oh God what did I just say?_

She jerked her eyes up to meet his, and he saw that flush from last time blossoming on her cheeks. He knew his cheeks were at least faintly pink this time, though, and he struggled to find something to excuse his rude behavior. But then she snorted, and then she started giggling, her blush spreading to her ears, and after staring at her, stunned, he finally started to chuckle with her. She straightened, supporting herself on her own two feet, but neither of them moved their hands just yet.

He kind of liked it that way.

And then he yelped as a force pushed him forward and Marinette let out an extremely _adorable_ “eep” as she wrapped her arms around his torso to help him maintain his balance. His arms reflexively wrapped around her shoulders, and he heard Tikki bark happily.

“S-sorry!” he said quickly as she released her and straightened. She withdrew her hands just as quickly, stammering an apology with her face bright red as she turned to lightly scold the Newfoundland that was happily frolicking around them.

She had to leave soon, she managed to tell him. She had to help her parents at the Dupain-Cheng bakery, which they owned, but she would see him around sometime? He nodded, and explained quickly that he should probably go shower before his meeting with a magazine that was going to show some of his father’s new designs that Adrien, of course, would be modeling. They shared an embarrassed laugh and parted ways.

Adrien wished he had the courage to ask for her number, but he still thanked his lucky stars that it was _him_ Tikki had bowled over and not some other random guy.

That dog might actually be his best friend.

* * *

 

Adrien was not expecting the fifth encounter. He’d been walking by a bakery—one that was giving off a positively _delectable_ smell—while chatting with Nino when suddenly, a deep bark sounded. Nino nearly jumped out of his skin, but Adrien turned to the sound and found, sitting right outside the bakery they were near, a giant black Newfoundland with a ladybug patterned tag at her throat.

“Tikki!” Adrien smiled, reaching out a hand to the dog. She sniffed it and then licked his fingers excitedly, and he just laughed and scratched behind her ears.

“How do you know Marinette’s dog?” Nino’s voice asked curiously, and he stepped forward to pet the excited hound. Adrien, however, looked quickly to his best friend in surprise. _Nino knew Marinette_? That was news. “And I thought you were a cat person…though I never understood how. Plagg causes _so_ much trouble! And I’ve never met a cat that likes cheese so much.”

“You know Marinette?” Adrien found himself asking, and when Nino glanced at him in surprise, the model found himself flushing. “I mean, I uh, went for a walk one day in the park in the rain, and Marinette and Tikki were playing around and splashing in puddles. You could say that Tikki kind of, uh, made me play, too?”

“Then are _you_ the one that Alya got a picture of? She kept laughing about how she got a picture of a famous model because Tikki made a new friend, and she would never tell me who it was.”

Adrien blinked at him, and Nino just laughed.

“Oh, Marinette, Alya, and I all went to school together since grade school. This is Marinette’s family’s bakery, by the way. It’s got to be one of the _best_ bakeries in all of Paris—and I get a great discount because I’ve been Mari’s friend for so long.”

“That sounds awesome,” Adrien murmured, still absently scratching behind Tikki’s ears as he looked at the bread and sweets displayed in the windows. He wouldn’t deny that everything looked positively delectable.

He jumped when Nino elbowed him, and when he looked over at the DJ, he didn’t like the knowing smirk.

“C’mon, Adrien!” he turned to the door. “We’ve got some time, and I haven’t stopped by in a while. They’ve probably got something new I haven’t tried, and if Tom’s got something new out on the shelves, I’m not gonna miss it!”

Adrien sighed, a flush on his cheeks, as he stepped into the shop behind Nino.

If the smell outside the bakery had been amazing, it was nothing compared to standing on the threshold. The smells of freshly baked breads and desserts wafted around him, and Adrien felt like he was in a baker’s paradise. There were so many different treats surrounding him, and he had the urge to try some of everything.

“Nino!” a cheerful, recognizable voice called from the front of the store. Adrien realized that Nino had rounded a corner. “What’ll it be today?”

“Hey, Mari! I brought a friend in today!” Nino laughed, waving behind him, where Adrien was still out of side. He was glad, because he flushed. “We’re looking for a quick pick-me-up before we have to get back to work. Has Tom got anything new out lately?”

“Well, we _do_ have a seasonal special. There’s some in the oven right now, but it should be done shortly!” another voice, a deep, male voice said with just as much cheer as Marinette. “And any friend of Nino’s is always welcome here!”

“Haha, thanks,” Adrien finally rounded the corner, laughing lightly and trying not to flush.

“Adrien!”

The dark-haired girl flushed at her quick exclamation, but the pretty smile on her face made even coming into the bakery worthwhile. Her ladybug earrings matched the color on her cheeks for just a second before her cheeks paled, and he thought he might faint. Instead, he smiled back at her, ignoring the way that the back of his neck suddenly grew very, _very_ warm.

“Ah, this is Tikki’s new friend that Alya was talking about?” another voice said, and a short Asian woman slipped out from behind the counter with a tray of fresh cookies. “The one you met in the park?”

“Y-yes, Mom! This is Adrien,” Marinette’s voice was slightly higher-pitched than her usual tones, and Adrien found it secretly adorable.

“Well then, it’s very nice to meet you, son!” Tom, or so Nino had called the big man beside Marinette, beamed welcomingly at him. “If you’d like a sample of something, just ask Marinette! I’ll be in the back with the new batch of our special, Nino, so if you have another…oh, five or so minutes, I think I’ll be able to bring you one fresh from the oven.”

“Thanks a lot, Tom!” Nino beamed as Adrien managed a simple _thanks_.

“Boys,” the tiny older woman, Marinette’s mother, addressed the two as she walked back through, “before eating anything, you should go wash your hands! I saw you playing with Tikki out front. You know how to get on through to the house, Nino, so why don’t you lead the way?”

“Sure, Sabine! Thanks!” Nino waved, then took Adrien by the sleeve. “We’ll be back soon, Marinette!”

“I’ll be here!” the dark-haired girl beamed at them as Nino led Adrien to a door near the back. Before they went through, the blond model saw Marinette’s mother murmur something to her and the young woman went a bright red, hissing something indignantly and embarrassedly at the older woman.

He heard Sabine’s chuckles as the door closed behind him, and then suddenly he realized that he was _in her house_. Marinette’s house. Or, well, at least her _parents’_ house—he didn’t know if she lived with them or not, now that he thought about it.

“So…” Nino’s voice came from in front of him as the DJ released his shirt. He looked backwards over his shoulder at Adrien with a huge, knowing grin. “Marinette, huh? I thought your type would be more glamorous, like one of those models you always work with.”

“Hey!” Adrien hissed, the heat in the back of his neck only intensifying. “I, uh, don’t know what you’re, uh, getting at—“

“Chill, man!”

Nino chuckled, and then he started laughing, completely at Adrien’s expense, and Adrien knew that there was nothing he could say to stop it. He’d lost his composure _completely_ in the face of Nino’s sort-of accusation, so there was absolutely no way to refute it now. In fact, his complete inability to come up with _anything_ to say made it even more obvious to Adrien himself that he might _kind of_ have a thing for her. Even though they’d probably three full conversations before and they kept meeting because of her dog.

“Here’s the bathroom,” Nino finally composed himself, opening a door to his right. “Get in there and wash your hands, and I’ll hit up the kitchen sink.”

“S-sure,” Adrien could only agree, and Nino smirked knowingly. Adrien only groaned pointedly, which caused his friend to chuckle and slip off to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, the two were reentering the bakery and Nino was dragging Adrien to a section that he was _sure_ the blond would like. In reality, he was forcing Adrien to endure the pungent smell of many different cheeses and different ways they were baked into these breads, even though Adrien had dealt with enough cheese to last him a lifetime because of his cat’s strange preferences.

“Nino! Adrien! There you are!” Marinette’s voice came from the front of the store.

“Here we are!” Nino said playfully, striding up towards the counter. “Got any suggestions for us today?”

“Well, Dad already put together a variety bag,” she gestured to a large paper sack on the counter next to her. “On the house today to commemorate Adrien’s first visit to the Dupain-Cheng Bakery, he says.”

 _Oh, God_.

Adrien’s mind went reeling when she cast a wink in his direction, but he laughed along with her because he didn’t think he’d be able to find actual _words_ to reply. His pulse was thudding extra loudly in his ears and, although he’d swear to Nino that he had _no idea what you’re talking about I’m not blushing_ later, he knew that this woman in front of him was causing it.

“H-he doesn’t have to do that!” Adrien finally found his voice, waving his hands. “I’ve got plenty of money—“

“Dude,” Nino nudged him, and Adrien snapped his mouth shut, glancing indignantly at his best friend. “Marinette’s parents are just like that. Tom’ll never take your money once he’s decided it’s on the house for the day, so just come back some other time and buy more of you want to thank him.”

“Take it from Nino,” Marinette giggled, her cheeks a light pink, “he knows from experience.”

“Yup! By the way, Marinette, is the seasonal special in here or is it coming out in a few?”

“It’s in the bag already,” she beamed that smile that Adrien was fast falling for, and he couldn’t look away. “Dad put two of them in there so that both of you can try one. He also put several different types of bread in, individually wrapped, of course, so that the flavors don’t mingle, for Adrien’s benefit since he hasn’t been here before.”

“Tom thinks of everything!” Nino exclaimed, and then called back, “Thanks, Tom!”

A loud laugh was heard from the bakery, and the deep voice returned, “You’re welcome, boys! Come back soon!”

“We will!” Adrien found himself calling back, missing how Marinette’s face colored when he did.

“Well, Marinette, I’ll see you later!” Nino grinned at her, hefting their bag of bread in his arms. “We should all get together for dinner sometime soon! It’s been a while since the three of us have spent time together. And we could invite this dork over here, since he never goes out.”

“Hey!” Adrien found himself flushing even more than before at that, but when he heard Marinette’s light laughter, any anger he’d actually held just melted away.

“That sounds like it would be nice!” she grinned at Nino, and then cast her smile Adrien’s way. “Just give me a date and a time, and I’ll make sure I’m free!”

“Sure thing! See you later!”

“Bye, Nino!” Marinette waved, “See you later, Adrien!”

“Y-yeah!” Adrien grinned back at her, waving. “See you later, Marinette!”

Saying _see you later_ sounded so much more like a promise than he could have ever hoped for, and, despite denying everything when Nino teased him, Adrien felt like he was walking on air at the prospect of getting to see her on a _planned_ outing sometime in the near future.

* * *

 

The next time he saw Tikki and Marinette, he was in the middle of a photoshoot.

He was in a slump. That morning, he’d received a message from his father, through Natalie, that had quite thoroughly ruined the rest of the day, and probably the rest of his week. He’d been told that he was apparently not working well enough, that he needed to sell the clothes better with the way he wore them…or that his father would have to find another model.

It was a _great_ morning, and needless to say, cracking the bright, carefree smiles that the photographer wanted was _not_ an easy feat.

The photographer was about fed up with it when a bark sounded, and Adrien grinned slightly without realizing it, glancing over to seek the source of the sound. He didn’t realize when the camera flashed, because his eyes had found Tikki, where she was walking calmly beside Marinette. The dog glanced over towards him but thankfully didn’t start running or pulling the petite woman behind her, and he beamed before turning back to the photographer.

“Keep it up!” the man exclaimed, and Adrien was thoroughly confused before he realized what must have happened. A light flush spread across his cheeks and he couldn’t help but laugh at himself, just a little.

And then he used that to his advantage, knowing that, had Tikki’s bark not alerted him to their presence, his father would have heard about _another_ poor photoshoot, and then Adrien would have had to hear another indirect message about how much of a failure he was.

As it was, though, maybe he could sneak away at the end of the shoot and steal a few moments with the large dog and her owner?

And, as luck would have it, the photoshoot practically flew, especially once Marinette had taken a seat at an outdoor café across the street, Tikki at her feet, and waved shyly at him. He had no idea what kind of smile he’d worn then, but he was willing to bet that it was embarrassing and nothing like the playful smiles he’d been wearing when thinking of her dog. All Adrien knew was that the photographer _loved_ it, and he was free to go a lot earlier than expected.

He took the car a few blocks away after the end of the shoot, slipped into different clothes, wrapped a scarf around his neck, and put on a hat before slipping out of the backseat, waving to the chauffeur, and walking back towards the café that Marinette had been sitting at. Just as he neared the square, he saw the dark-haired young woman and her black dog round the corner, and upon noticing him, Marinette beamed.

“I thought you’d still be around!” she said softly as she drew near. She glanced around at some of the people passing. “That shoot looked great!”

“Thanks to you,” slipped out before he could stop it, and then he chuckled a little, reaching up to put his hand behind his head. “It was going _awful_ before Tikki barked…and then I saw the two of you and…well, this might sound really, really crazy, but every time I see you guys, something good happens to me. I think Tikki’s my lucky charm!”

She stared at him blankly with her wide, expressive blue eyes before she started to giggle, and then she placed her hand on his arm.

“That’s really funny,” she managed, glancing up at him through her lashes— _something should kill me now or else this girl will_ —and smiling in that way that sent his heart racing. “I’ve been thinking the same thing lately!”

His green eyes met hers and held hers as a dopey smile spread across his face, and then the two both started to laugh.

“Would you care for a coffee, my lady?” he finally asked her, flashing her a charming smile and offering her his arm. “My treat, of course.”

She flushed, but smiled back at him as she tentatively linked her arm with his. She didn’t verbally respond, but her actions were enough. His stomach flipped over at the soft smile she was giving him, and he couldn’t help but continue to grin disarmingly back at her.

When Tikki insistently moved forward, tugging Marinette along because of the leash, they both laughed and started to walk at the Newfoundland’s casual, steady pace. Marinette’s slender arm linked nicely with his own, and their shared warmth was enough to stave off the slight chill in the air—and if it hadn’t been enough, the pink dusting their cheeks was enough to make up for it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He didn’t really know how to explain the depth of his feelings for Marinette. Sure, they had only known each other, actually on a first name basis, for a few months. But he did know that she was the only girl who completely disarmed him, that made him lose his words, the only one he had trouble flirting with, although he’d tried not to admit as much to Nino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to thelastpilot on tumblr! :)
> 
> I had a bunch of ideas for a continuation, although I kept telling myself no...and then, suddenly, there were sketches of Adrien in disguise and sketches of dog!Tikki and a mention that she wanted more and...well, here we are. 
> 
> I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO WHAT I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT. IN 10K. So you'll have a chapter 3, too. Look forward to it! :)

After that first _date_ —well, he wasn’t absolutely positive that’s what it was, but he let himself dream—he’d finally managed to ask her for her number.

It was probably the happiest that Adrien had been since he’d moved out from under his father’s roof. In fact, this was probably the happiest he’d been in all of the 22 years he’d been alive. There was just something about Marinette that made him feel so… _free_. He felt like they could gallivant across the rooftops together without a care in the world, and the thought was both frightening and incredibly exhilarating all at once.

And, though he felt kind of guilty about it, when he needed a quick pick-me-up, the picture he’d taken of her for his contact information was just the thing to bring a smile to his face. There she was, smiling shyly with her big black Newfoundland’s face smashed up against her own, and it was probably one of the cutest things Adrien had ever seen.

He’d never live it down if Nino found out about it. As if finding out about his feelings hadn’t been enough, the rising DJ was teasing him by postponing the group outing he’d mentioned when they’d visited the bakery. It was working, because Adrien was going crazy wondering when he’d finally get to meet up with her again.

So when Nino finally contacted everyone, about two weeks after the coffee date, Adrien was positively ecstatic. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen Marinette since then, but their schedules had been rather busy so he’d only managed a couple short conversations and some texts exchanged between them. This time, when the group messages of acceptance came in, he waited with bated breath for hers even as he quickly responded that yes, he was available at the date and time suggested for the outing. And then it came in: _That’s perfect! I’ll be there!_

Adrien felt his heart leap as a shiver ran up his spine—a shiver that had _nothing_ to do with the crisp air as fall transitioned into winter.

He studiously ignored this fact and moved on to other thoughts…such as the photoshoot he had to get back to in about five minutes. The blond smothered a groan in the crook of his elbow, slipping his phone into his bag so he wouldn’t be distracted by it any more. He’d had his fix when he’d first glanced at that picture of Marinette and Tikki, and then it had only been enhanced by Nino’s group message and her quick and ready acceptance, so now he’d power through the last half of this shoot, answer three questions for an interview, and be on his way.

And he did just that, powering through with a glamorous smile, a nostalgic glance that the photographer asked for, the smoldering gaze that made his fangirls swoon, and finally just a casual, laidback set.

In his trailer, the lucky interviewer asked her questions.

“So, Adrien, you’ve started to branch out to modeling for fashion shows. How do you feel about walking the runway?” the woman shot off her first question, recorder ready as her cameraman and photographer hovered around them.

“Well, it’s kind of like anything new. At first, it’s really nerve-racking because there’s always this constant fear that I’ll trip and mess up, or that no one backstage noticed we’d missed a button, or any number of things. And then when you get out there and do it, you have to be a lot more confident than you feel and, eventually, it just happens. When you get used to it, you can even start to have a little fun.”

It was a bit of a cookie cutter answer, but Adrien smiled away and let the photographer with her take a few photos.

“It’s nice to know that a model as famous as the Adrien Agreste is just like one of us!” the journalist beamed at him, though he could see the wheels turning in her head. She wanted answers. “So, the next question is this: you get to model all of your father, Gabriel Agreste’s new designs, but is there another designer whose clothes you’d like to model for?”

Names popped into his mind, but then he remembered a few images, clothes without a person to model them, from the _Ladyblog_ , and he couldn’t help himself.

“You’ve heard of the _Ladyblog_ , yes?” he asked, grinning disarmingly. “Ladybug, whoever she is, has some fantastic designs. She’s even started making a men’s line, but she doesn’t have anyone modelling them yet, according to the blog. I’d _love_ to have that honor, although it’s very unlikely.”

“Ladybug! I never would have guessed!” she seemed honestly surprised this time, and Adrien just continued to smile. “And for our last question, Adrien, a few of our viewers wanted to know if you had something like a good luck charm? Something that makes you feel confident, or that just seems to make everything go right?”

She looked taken aback when he started to laugh, and he knew that he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help it.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I recently had a conversation about this with a friend,” he explained away quickly, composing himself. His smile was much brighter now, but he pretended that it wasn’t hurting his cheeks as he continued, “It sounds crazy, but my good luck charm is definitely my friend’s _gigantic_ dog. She’s a playful dog, a real gentle giant, and everything seems to go my way when she’s around.”

“That does sound a little crazy,” she chuckled with him, “but it also sounds incredibly charming! Thank you so much for your time today, Adrien. Maybe next time we can learn a little bit more about your friend and also more about your lucky charm!”

“Maybe,” he replied, a teasing lilt in his tone to match hers.

And then the interview was over and he could take a breather. So he reached into his bag and pulled out his phone for the first time in a few hours. The light in the corner was blinking, and with a grin, he saw that he had a few texts from Marinette.

_Hey!_

_Oh, you’re probably in the middle of your shoot right now._

_So, whenever the photographer is done monopolizing your time, Dad said he wants to test out his newest recipe on my friends and I. Alya and Nino are coming to the bakery around 6. Are you free?_

His heart stopped.

Okay, obviously it didn’t, but it squeezed and he felt another wide grin spread across his features. Just earlier today, Nino had set up their rendezvous for _next week_ , but now Marinette had found a way to get everyone together before then! If he was free, of course, so Adrien scrambled to find the week’s itinerary on his phone, which Nathalie had sent him this morning. He knew he had a meeting with his father coming up soon during dinnertime, but he wasn’t sure when it was.

His eyes scanned the schedule hungrily until he finally found what he’d been searching for, and then he let out a sigh of relief.

His dinner with his father was _tomorrow_ night.

A glance at the time in the top corner of his phone told him that he had two and a half hours until the scheduled meeting time, so he grabbed all of his things, thanked the attendants who were still tidying the trailer, and headed off to the car while avoiding fangirls and especially Chloe. She’d been even more clingy than usual lately, so it was hard to get away from her when she caught him and dug her claws in.

He shot a text to Nathalie telling her that he had plans for the evening, and also informing her that the currently empty spot in his schedule for next Wednesday was _not_ to be filled for any reason because of a prior engagement of his own making, before asking the driver to take him directly to his apartment.

While the air was chilly, the new winter fashions he’d been modeling were quite cozy, and he rather preferred a shower before seeing anyone.

* * *

 

At 5:45, he and Nino were already laughingly making their way towards Marinette’s family’s bakery. Nino was teasing him about how he’d actually done his hair after his shower, and Adrien was doing his best to ignore him.

He hadn’t really _done_ his hair. He’d made sure it was _neat_ , of course, but it’s not like he was using gel or anything.

Take that, Nino.

“We’re still gonna be there early,” the DJ voiced after a few moments’ delay in his teases. Adrien glanced to see that he was checking his watch.

“Should we detour so we don’t show up early, or…?” Adrien trailed off.

Nino glanced to Adrien for a second, then shrugged and said, “Nah. I guarantee Alya’s already there and had been for a while, and Tom and Sabine are always fine with us dropping by. I mean, even though Mari lives in an apartment a few blocks over, she’s probably over there for dinner at least five nights a week, so that means that Alya’s still over a lot, too. I’ll send Mari a text to tell her we’ll be a little early, though.”

“Sure,” the model just deferred to Nino’s opinion. He had known Marinette and her parents for much longer than Adrien had, after all.

The DJ typed a quick message and sent it, pocketing his phone and glancing to smirk teasingly at Adrien again. The blond just groaned and averted his gaze pointedly, and Nino started to laugh a little, nudging his friend.

“Seriously, Nino,” Adrien groused, “I get it already.”

“Okay, okay,” Nino laughed, tossing his arm around Adrien’s shoulder, “but seriously, if you like her _that_ much, just go for it. What happened to that model confidence, bro? That suave, cheeky guy that shows up when you’re winking at some babe you’re modeling with?”

“Don’t remind me about that,” the model elbowed his friend in the ribs lightly. “It just…doesn’t come out around her. Not when I want it to, anyway. I end up being confident or flirty or something at all the _wrong_ moments and then it’s awkward and then she starts _giggling_ at me and it’s just too _cute_ that I can’t even apologize afterwards!”

He’d thrown his hands in the air, knocking Nino’s arm from his shoulder, and his friend blinked at him through his glasses for a moment before doubling over in laughter.

“Oh my—Adrien, do you _hear yourself_? You have got it _so_ bad!”

Adrien just groaned and faced forward, watching as a familiar storefront came into view. Nino regained his composure, albeit rather slowly, but the grin remained as they stepped up to the shop. The duo slipped in through the door, the bell tinkling merrily, and the blond glanced at his watch to find that they were still about seven minutes earlier than the allotted time. He decided not to worry, though, when Marinette’s mother, Sabine, greeted them with warm smiles and directed them through to the house as she finished cleaning up the shop for the day.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” Adrien found himself asking, Nino seconding the offer.

“No, no, it’s fine!” Sabine chuckled, motioning for them to keep going. “I’m almost done, boys. Just go on through to the kitchen—Nino knows the way, so just follow him, Adrien, dear!”

“Thanks, Sabine!” Nino beamed at her, stooping a little as she leaned over to kiss his cheek as he returned the favor. When she turned to Adrien, he nearly froze in his tracks until she pulled him down a little by the sleeve and treated him in the same manner—as if she’d known him for much longer than she actually had. He followed Nino’s example and returned the greeting, and she beamed at him before returning to her duties.

The two young men then made their way through the store to the door in the back that lead to the house proper, and once they were inside they climbed the stairs. On the way up, Adrien could hear that Nino’s assumption had been correct—that was _definitely_ Alya’s voice, and he’d only met her twice, one of those times being the week prior when he’d accidentally run directly into her because his hat had slipped over his face.

“Mari! Alya!” Nino cried, topping the stairs. He was still at the end of the hall, so Alya had to lean back to see down the hallway, which she did.

“The boys are here, Mari!” Alya said in a lilting, almost teasing tone. Adrien perked his ears up but couldn’t make out anything. Marinette must have spoken so that only Alya could hear, though, because the redhead burst out laughing and, as the two men stepped into the open area, she collapsed in a kitchen chair, choking, “Gosh, Mari, your reactions are still the best!”

“Alyaaaaa!” the dark-haired young woman whined, casting a pout at her friend.

She didn’t know how well it worked on him, and Adrien did his best to hide that information from Nino, as well. The rising DJ had enough blackmail material already, and the model really couldn’t afford to let him have even more dirt.

When Alya failed to cease laughing, Marinette sighed and turned to the two new arrivals with a smile. “Come on in and take off your coats. There’s a coatrack right over there,” she gestured to a spot ahead and to the right, where four coats were hanging, “and then come take a seat, guys. Dad’s downstairs finishing his new recipe and he won’t even let me help with it this time.”

“Oh, that’s new!” Nino laughed, flopping down across from Alya as Marinette took the seat beside the redhead. Adrien slipped into the seat across from her with a grin, willing to just listen to their conversation, as she flashed him a smile in return.

“Yeah,” Alya agreed. “He wouldn’t even tell me when I asked, either!”

But Adrien noticed a sly grin passed between Nino and Alya while Marinette wasn’t looking, and he raised a curious eyebrow. Nino grinned and slipped out his phone, tapping out a quick message.

“I take it this doesn’t happen often?” Adrien asked, reaching down when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Marinette was idly drawing in a sketchbook—that’s new. He didn’t know that she drew. He’d have to ask about it sometime, but for now he glanced down to his phone as Marinette absently answered.

“No, it doesn’t. It must really be something new if he won’t let me help. It’s usually just a variation on an old recipe or something, so I get to see and help out.”

Adrien opened Nino’s text as he made an appropriate noncommittal response, and then stared at it for a few long moments.

_Mari’s birthday is next week but her parents are catering an event out of town, so Alya decided to have a surprise party tonight._

The model typed a quick message back.

_But I didn’t get her anything!_

It was probably a good thing that Alya and Marinette had fallen into a hushed conversation, which Adrien only heard every few words from, because at Nino’s amused snort they glanced up at him.

“Sorry, Instagram!” he dismissed quickly, tilting the phone slightly so that they wouldn’t be able to see. “One of my DJ buds, you know.”

The dark-haired girl grinned and let him get by with that, returning to her conversation with Alya while sketching once more. The redhead glanced between the two, grinned, cast Adrien a wink, and turned her attention back to Mari as if she hadn’t been the devious mastermind between what was happening right now.

_That’s why we’re all meeting ON HER BIRTHDAY next week!_

Adrien stared for a few seconds, and then a grin slowly crept across his features. He turned to Nino with the grin, and the DJ just winked back, glancing at his phone as he tried to stifle his chuckle. It wasn’t quite successful this time, but Marinette wasn’t distracted and Alya’s lips just twitched up into a grin and she cast a quick glance up at the two before returning her eyes to Mari’s sketchbook.

“Oh, Mari!” Alya said after a few moments, grinning in a way that made Adrien, although he wasn’t very well acquainted with her, uncomfortable. “Why don’t you ask Adrien about that design you were struggling with earlier? He’s up to date on fashion, so he should be able to help!”

“Huh?” was Adrien’s _oh so intelligent_ response.

But when he looked up, Marinette’s face flushed an absolutely striking shade of pink, and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest.

“That’s a great idea, Alya!” Nino seconded her quickly, glancing sidelong at Adrien. “I’m sure he’s happy to help a fledgling designer out!”

“Oh, you’re a designer, Marinette?” the blond in question finally found his voice and his composure. At the knowledge that she was designing, Adrien’s interest was piqued. He lightly rested his arms on the table in front of him, leaning forward with a smile. “If there’s anything I can do to help, I’d be more than happy to!”

“W-well, you’re all right,” she acquiesced, shyly, as she flipped back a couple of pages in her sketchbook and then turned it around, pushing it to the center of the table. She pointed to a particular part of the page, and started, “I’m having a little trouble deciding on what kind of lapel this jacket should use. It’s meant to be a semi-formal piece, so I feel like a notch or wide notch lapel would work best with the overall design, but narrow notch is fairy popular this season.”

She tapped her pencil against her lip, then reached forward and sketched a quick narrow notch lapel next to already existing drawings of her two primary choices. Adrien marveled at her ability to match the length and style so well and while she was looking at it _upside down_ , no less, but he kept it to himself.

Or, rather, he was pretty impressed at her overall design.

“This design is so good,” he found himself commenting, leaning closer to get a better look. “It’s such a professional design, and you’ve got a good eye. Looking at it as a whole, and because you want it to only be semi-formal, I think the standard notch lapel goes best, personally. The narrow lapel would make the rest of the jacket seem too broad, and it would clash with the overall chic design, so stylistically I think you were right not to include it to begin with.”

The dark-haired girl turned the sketchbook back and glanced over it with a critical eye, lightly sketched the standard notch lapel in the empty space on the front of her design, tapped her pencil against the paper thoughtfully, then darkened the lines.

“Yes! Thank you so much, Adrien!” she looked up at him with a wide smile. “That’s the critique I needed!”

“N-no problem!” he supplied, still a little dazed by her smile. Alya’s wide grin snapped him out of it, though, and if that hadn’t worked, the nudge that Nino gave him a second later would have done the trick. “Anytime, Mari!”

“You should show him your other designs sometime,” Nino suggested, and Alya agreed. Marinette’s cheeks turned red again, and she stuttered some sort of answer that Adrien figured meant _maybe_ as she tried her best to continue working on the jacket design.

“I’d like that. I can tell you’re a good designer just from that jacket, so I’m sure that everything else is just as good,” he grinned encouragingly at her, feeling heat in the back of his neck when her head actually snapped up at him, her mouth opening with a small gasp of surprise and her cheeks maintaining their flush.

“I-I-I’m happy to hear that!” she giggled nervously, lowering her eyes to the table between them. “Thank you so much!”

When her sincere blue eyes peered at him through her lashes, he knew his ears were burning. He kept his grin, and managed to say something in response, although later he wouldn’t remember exactly what he’d said. His answer had satisfied her, though, and she had continued refining the jacket design with a grin that spread from ear to ear.

Adrien’s phone buzzed while he absently watched her sketching, and he jumped, reaching for his pocket.

_Nice one, bro! ;)_

The blond suppressed a groan and playfully glared at Nino, who was smiling behind the hand he was currently leaning on.

Light chatter broke out among the four young people as Marinette continued to sketch, occasionally chipping in with a question or a comment, and Adrien was perfectly content. This was such a homey place, and even though the situation was far different than he was used to, the model was thoroughly enjoying it. He was quickly finding a new friend in Alya, who’d learned from Marinette that he followed her blog and was more than happy to talk about it—all without revealing the name of the mysterious designer and model, even though they _had_ to be on close terms because Alya was basically her manager and her photographer _and_ the only journalist that ever got to interview her.

And then, after about half an hour of this, Marinette’s parents came up from the bakery, Sabine leading. Tom was following her with a large tray, covered by a simple lid.

“Here it is, kids!” he grinned happily, sharing a conspiratorial wink with Alya before his daughter looked up from her designs. She beamed at her dad and slid her sketchbook closer to the edge, closing it for the time being.

“Now, everyone close your eyes!” Sabine grinned brightly, sharing a glance with Alya.

“Mom…” Marinette began, but Alya shushed her.

“Oh, come on, Mari!” the redhead laughed, making a show of closing her eyes, too. “Let your parents have their fun!”

The dark-haired girl gave a playful sigh then, shooting a look at her parents, before her eyelids fell closed. Adrien and Nino followed suit, and listened as Tom sat the tray on the table among them. Someone removed the lid, and after a bit more rustling around them—Adrien would have _sworn_ he felt something brush over his shoulder for just a second—the two empty chairs at the table creaked as weight shifted into them.

“Alright, everyone. You can open your eyes!”

The four young adults did, and Adrien found himself biting back his awe at the masterpiece in front of him. Marinette’s entire family must have consisted of artists, because the way her father’s masterpiece sat in front of him, and after only a few hours of work, made the blond want to gape in open-mouthed, slack-jawed awe.

He didn’t, but it was a very close thing.

“What…?” Mari’s voice was small, shocked, as she read the _HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINETTE!_ in elegant white script on the black ribbon that wrapped around a macaron cake tower.

A _ladybug_ themed macaron cake tower.

Each individual pastry was a delicate, hand-decorated, edible ladybug, and as Adrien cast a shy glance to the other four, he saw that Alya and Nino, who had both been in on the surprise, hadn’t been prepared for _this_. Alya’s eyes practically bulged out of her head and Nino’s jaw was dropped the way that Adrien’s would have been if he hadn’t composed himself.

“But…it’s not even—“

“We have that catering event on your birthday,” Sabine supplied softly, placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “so we’ve decided to have a little celebration now! It’s not every day that our little girl turns twenty-two now, is it?”

“But this is too much!” she protested weakly, eyes trailing the detailed design. “They’re so expensive to make, and they take so much _time_ —“

A deep laugh came from Adrien’s left and, rather belatedly, he realized that Tom was sitting right next to him. Somehow, the thought made him anxious. But Mari’s father grinned warmly at the young woman across from Adrien and asked her, “Are you trying to tell me that my little girl isn’t worth at _least_ this much?”

The group laughed as a collective, and then they sang to a flushing Marinette, even though she half-heartedly protested that they were still too early. And then, after Alya snapped at least ten photos of the cake from different angles and with Marinette in half of them, Sabine produced a light meal for the entire table. Adrien hadn’t been expecting it, but Nino had advised him to be silent before he’d even opened his mouth to speak, and the blond obeyed.

And, before the night ended and Nino and Adrien left the Dupain-Cheng family, plus Alya, to their business, Adrien got the chance to find out that the ladybug macaron masterpiece tasted just as good as it looked.

* * *

 

It was three days until Marinette’s birthday, and Adrien still hadn’t picked out what to get her.

Their friendship was still in its fledgling stages, he acknowledged begrudgingly to himself as he browsed a few online shops, but he had still hoped to have a better gift idea in mind. His experience in buying gifts for women consisted of buying the occasional coffee for Nathalie out of good will, buying Marinette’s coffee on their one almost date, and buying Chloe a new piece of jewelry or some perfume when she wouldn’t leave him alone—although _those_ gifts had slowed in recent years when she started to move on to other, more famous men with the help of her father, the mayor.

He wanted to get her something meaningful, but there definitely wasn’t enough time to get something custom-made. Adrien was also worried about overstepping his boundaries with her, especially since the full depth of her feelings was still a little unclear.

She at least liked him, he decided.

If Marinette didn’t at least want to be close friends with him, it was very unlikely that she would have given him her number. In fact, if she didn’t want to be friends with him, she wouldn’t have even accepted his coffee date invitation, and then he wouldn’t _have_ her number.

So…she at least considered him a friend. Did that give him the right to buy her a bigger, more expensive gift without her demanding for him to return it? Not that he would do that, because above all he wanted it to be a significant gift rather than one that cost more than someone else’s gift for her did.

This was something that Adrien couldn’t ask Nathalie—she’d probably go into a lecture about how being distracted by something so _trivial_ could damage his reputation, and then she’d top it all off by telling his father that he was shopping for a gift for a girl that probably wasn’t Chloe, and he’d have the disappointment speech from his father again, talking about how Adrien should focus more on his work. Adrien really didn’t want to hear that speech again. And he couldn’t ask Chloe, because she’d just tell him he could get her _anything_ , and it wasn’t even a gift for her in the first place.

So when he told Nino while they were in his apartment, with his cat Plagg sticking his nose awkwardly in Adrien’s ear while smelling strongly of _Camembert_ , he was not happy when his DJ of a best friend started laughing.

“Dude, Mari’s not a picky kind of girl. I’m sure she’ll love anything as long as it comes from _you_.”

Adrien chose to ignore the suggestion in Nino’s tone.

“I just…don’t wanna scare her away,” he murmured instead, his green eyes trailing shyly to the side as he fended Plagg away from his face. The cat hissed in distaste but Adrien ignored it as the black feline dropped down to curl up on the arm of his chair. The model tried not to sigh in relief when the smell of Camembert was out of the immediate vicinity of his nose.

“Scare her away?” Nino asked incredulously.

“Yes!” Adrien agreed, frustrated. “Marinette’s not like other girls, and God knows she’s _nothing_ like Chloe. I don’t know if getting her jewelry is overstepping my boundaries, or if just getting her tickets to a fashion show or something would be enough. And aside from that, I don’t want to just get her something generic, even though I haven’t known her for very long, but if I get something that makes me, I don’t know, come on too strong…what happens then? And what doesn’t cross that boundary?”

The blond ran his hand through his hair agitatedly, resting his elbows on his knees.

He didn’t really know how to explain the depth of his feelings for Marinette. Sure, they had only known each other, actually on a first name basis, for a few months. They had only met up by design a grand total of three times, and one of them was just so she could ask him his favorite color in person instead of through text—his answer was blue, of course, and he told himself that it hadn’t been reinforced by the clear color of her eyes—and all of those meetings had been within the last three weeks. But he _did_ know that she was the only girl who completely disarmed him, that made him lose his words, the only one he had trouble _flirting_ with, although he’d tried not to admit as much to Nino.

“I just want to have a chance,” he said in a small voice, before Nino had even answered his original rant.

“Oh, man,” Nino’s chair squeaked a little, and then his hand was on Adrien’s shoulder. “You actually have it worse than I thought.”

With a dry chuckle, the blonde muttered, “Thanks.”

Nino sighed, dropping on the arm of Adrien’s chair that the uppity cat _wasn’t_ occupying.

“Well, Adrien, there’s not really much I can tell you,” the DJ’s voice was regretful. “You’re both my friends and I want you to be happy, but I can’t tell you exactly how she’d feel or react since I’m just a friend and that’s all I’ve really ever wanted with her. That’s something you have to figure out for yourself since you want more. I do think that it’s worth a try, though, because I can tell that she really, really wants to get to know you better, and since you haven’t known each other very long I don’t think she’ll mind very much what you give her. Mari’s one of the people where the thought is really all that counts—and to be honest, I once gave her a jar of _jam_ that she mentioned liking, and she almost _cried_ because I remembered. I don’t think you should worry too much.”

“ _Jam_?” the blond questioned incredulously, and Nino chuckled.

“It figures that you’d pay attention to _that_ part.”

“Seriously, though? You bought her _jam_ as a gift?” Adrien pressed, soothed in part by Nino’s spiel. “You couldn’t have bought her a sketchbook, or pencils or something? You picked a type of jam that she’d said she liked?”

“She was happy,” Nino shrugged, “and that’s all I cared about. But trust me. It was her sixteenth birthday and Alya wanted to have my head for not getting her something better for the big one-six. _Alya_ , on the other hand, got her so much material that she spent her entire allowance for three months. Marinette _loved_ it, but she scolded her for so long.”

“Material?”

The bespectacled DJ chuckled a little, nodding, and then his eyes widened for a second and he leaned over, hand resting heavily on Adrien’s shoulder now, as he exclaimed, “Wait! We never told you that Marinette also _makes_ her designs?”

 _What_?

Adrien’s mind started reeling as he remembered the conversation about lapels, and the professional sketches that the dark-haired girl had painstakingly refined in her sketchbook. Dazed, he stared at Nino and shook his head no.

“Oh, man!” Nino leaned away, looking out across the city from Adrien’s apartment window. “Yeah, Mari’s not just good at drawing designs. She also makes them. It’s the main reason she moved out of her parents’ place and into her apartment, aside from adopting Tikki when the shelter put out that plea for adoption—you know, the same one that convinced you to adopt a pet and landed you with Plagg. She needed more room, and she’d made a decent savings from winning some of your dad’s contests, if you’d believe it, so she rents a two bedroom apartment and uses one room for her studio.”

“She’s won some of my _dad’s_ contests?” Adrien spluttered in disbelief. “But that means that I’ve _worn_ her designs before!”

“Oh, yeah!” Nino’s eyes widened, and then he started laughing. “Oh, how did I forget? That _hat_ —she made the _hat_. The one with the pigeon feathers! The one that had you sneezing for _days_!”

Nino leaned heavily on Adrien’s shoulder as he laughed, but the model knew _exactly_ which hat he was talking about. At first glance, he’d been really impressed. It had been for a contest directed at area high schools, after all, and there was such a professional quality piece among the entries that Adrien had been sure, for a while, that someone had hired an actual designer to make the piece.

He’d done his research and found out that Chloe had stolen another girl’s design and had a professional make _hers_ , but that the girl who’d really designed it had won the contest anyway with the same hat.

The knowledge that the girl who had stood up to Chloe was _Marinette_ made Adrien grin like a fool.

“It was _Marinette_?” the blond found himself chuckling, too. Sure, the allergic reaction hadn’t been the highlight of his modelling career, but knowing now that it was her design made him incredibly happy about it. “What else has she won since then? We were _fifteen_ back then, so I’m sure her stuff is even better now!”

“Um…recently?” the DJ racked his brain, and then he let out, “Oh! Another old one is that blue scarf you wore for the winter shoot right after your fifteenth birthday. And recently, she made the green long-sleeved, v-neck shirt. I think it was for your dad’s spring show last year?”

“That shirt was so _comfortable_!” Adrien grinned even more widely and admitted, “I also still have that blue scarf because it was the _softest_ thing, and Dad actually let me hold onto it.”

Nino laughed and straightened, sliding off the arm of the blond’s chair and back over to where he’d been sitting before. He always seemed to know when Adrien needed him close and when he would be alright and, right now, Adrien was doing just fine. The knowledge that Marinette was not only great at designing on paper but also at constructing the actual clothes had sent his mind whirring at new possible gift ideas, and that had eased his heart a lot more than anything.

“Mari’s awesome at what she does,” Nino agreed with a grin. “She designs so much more than she actually enters into contests, though. She should start her own company or something.”

“I’ll sponsor it,” Adrien chuckled leaning back in his chair and giving his grumpy cat a scratch behind the ears. Plagg actually purred in his doze, his head lolling so Adrien’s fingers had more room. “Hey, I even have that business degree that Dad wanted me to get.”

The two laughed a little at that, and the rest of the night passed with a few beers and some casual conversation and an annoying, cheese-obsessed cat, although Adrien spent some time looking up a few possible gift ideas on his phone.

* * *

 

His next few days were hectic, but when two in the afternoon on Marinette’s birthday hit, he felt the excitement rising. He’d get to see her for the first time in a week, and Adrien was positively ecstatic. He was, of course, still nervous about how she’d receive his gifts, in the plural, because he’d been unable to decide and had ended up buying her two, along with pulling some strings to get the third gift for free.

And as soon as he was freed from his photoshoot, he hurried to the nondescript black car that his driver had brought today and clambered in, giving him the destination and asking him to take a roundabout way and stop about a block away so that Adrien could walk.

Once he was on the way, he shot Nino a quick text.

_Are we bringing birthday gifts to the café?_

The gift bag was sitting on the seat beside him, and he reached over to peer through the contents to make sure that everything was there. His phone chimed just as he was assured of that, and he pulled up the reply from Nino.

_Yeah. Don’t worry about how big it is—Alya’s bringing three bags, so she’s going to be embarrassed anyway._

Adrien stifled a chuckle, glancing up at his chauffeur.

 _Good to know,_ he texted back with a grin.

And then he was left jiggling his knee in anticipation and nervousness, ready but also not ready at the same time. A glance at his watch showed that he had about fifteen minutes until the meeting time at two-thirty, so he tried taking a few deep, calming breaths.

It wasn’t like he was asking her out or anything.

At the thought, he felt his face explode in a wave of heat and he groaned, dropping his head to his hand.

 _You barely know her, Adrien,_ he tried to tell himself for probably the hundredth time since their almost date. It still wasn’t working, and he hadn’t expected it to because he _wanted_ to know her better. He wanted to spend time with her and learn more about her, and he particularly wanted to see more of that shy smile that made his heart squeeze and that confident grin that made his heart race. He wanted to see the light pink blush she got when she was embarrassed by a compliment, or just chilled by the cooling air. Adrien wanted to be the _reason_ she turned so red she matched her ladybug patterned raincoat.

The heat wasn’t leaving his cheeks, and now the back of his neck was burning, too. The pea coat he was wearing didn’t help, nor did the scarf.

His phone chimed again, and he opened the message to distract himself.

_Can you let the others know I’ll be a little late?! I got caught up working on one of my designs and I haven’t even left home yet!_

He blinked, checked who the text was from, and then he felt flattered. Marinette had chosen to text _him_ , even though she’d known Alya and Nino for so much longer.

_Of course I can! If you need a ride, though, I can swing by and pick you up?_

Adrien had hit send before he’d really noticed what he’d offered, and then he reread it as it was sending. It wasn’t too forward, though, he decided, and he waited patiently on a response.

He definitely wasn’t tapping his fingers idly against the screen of his now locked phone.

Not at _all_.

But then her text came through.

_I can be ready in 5 minutes, and it’s the apartment complex a street over from the bakery. Can you be here by then? Otherwise I’ll walk, so you don’t have to worry!_

Adrien fumbled and dropped his phone in the floorboard. Flushing at the glance his driver cast him in the rearview mirror, the model lunged for his phone and re-read the message before glancing at the time. It was seconds later that he realized that her apartment was actually _on the way_ , and that it was literally _the next turn_.

“Actually,” he said quickly to his driver, “turn right at this next street! I have a friend who needs a ride from the apartment complex here!”

The large man grunted his agreement, and with the smoothness that only a driver accustomed to Adrien’s sudden requests for a different direction or destination could pull off, he managed to turn the corner and, upon spotting the apartment complex, pulled smoothly into an empty spot in front of the building.

“Can I sit this in the front floorboard?” Adrien held up the bag questioningly. “It’s my friend’s birthday present, and I don’t want her really seeing it until we meet up with our other friends.”

He nodded, and turned to receive the bag as Adrien handed it up with a thanks. Then he turned excitedly to his phone, pulling up the conversation and deleting the nonsense letters that had appeared in his reply box when he’d dropped and subsequently recovered his phone.

_Sure thing! It’s on the way from my shoot. The car will be out front whenever you’re ready!_

Adrien informed his driver that he’d be standing outside and then picked up his hat, pulling it down over his blond locks and sliding on the fake glasses he carried with him for instances like this. And then he slipped out of the car, closing the door and stepping up onto the sidewalk to wait. He shot Nino a quick text just in case the duo ended up behind because of the detour, and then turned his gaze to the front of the building to wait for Marinette to emerge.

It struck him then that he was right outside her apartment for the first time, waiting on her.

He knew it wasn’t actually a date, but it felt like how dates started and he let himself fantasize a little. He’d never really had the opportunity to go on dates of his own choosing, so even when he’d moved away from most of his father’s influence, he had refrained from them due to lack of interest. Now, though, he’d positively _love_ to set up a date if a certain dark-haired designer could be his partner.

A chime alerted him, and he pulled his phone from his pocket. While he opened the text from Nino, his phone chimed again.

The text from Nino read _Smooth move, Romeo! ;)_ and he decided that, for now, he’d ignore it. Adrien switched to the other text, mildly surprised to see that it was from Marinette, and opened it quickly.

_Thanks! I’m on the way down!_

A glance at the time showed that he had, indeed, been fantasizing for about three minutes, and he flushed but glanced up just as the doors to her building burst open and a flushed, slightly breathless dark-haired woman stepped out. Adrien lifted his hand and waved, and when Mari caught sight of him he saw the grin spread across her features as she raised her arm and waved back. She jogged toward him, her ladybug scarf peeking out from behind the collar of her own pea coat.

“Thank you so much, Adrien!” she beamed at him as she reached him, leaning up to kiss him lightly on the cheek in greeting. Adrien returned the gesture, ignoring how flushed he was and trying to tell himself that the red on her cheeks was still from her rush to get down her.

“It’s no problem,” he laughed, reaching behind him to open the door of the car for her with a smile. “Your carriage awaits, Princess.”

_Oh my God what did I just say?_

She blinked, her cheeks darkened, and she giggled almost shyly as she stepped forward to get in the car.

“Thank you, my good sir!” she teased, though she kept her eyes averted. Relief flooded through his entire body and Adrien grinned at her, bowing slightly as he closed her door before slipping around to the street side and climbing in himself as he gave the burly driver the instruction to head straight to the café now. He nodded and tipped his hat before pulling out of the spot, and then Adrien had to face the reality he’d put himself in.

He was in a car. He was in the back seat of a car with _Marinette_ , and he didn’t have a clue what to say. To distract himself from that, he sat his hat on the seat between them and hooked his fake glasses over his collar, settling into his spot. And he still didn’t have a conversation starter, but Marinette seemed to have it covered.

“It’s getting colder,” the dark-haired girl almost whined, and he glanced over to her as she tucked her red cheeks farther into the ladybug scarf she was wearing. “H-how can you do outdoor photoshoots in this?”

“It’s mostly winter clothing now,” Adrien found enough of his voice to give her an answer, grinning. “It keeps me pretty warm. Sometimes too warm, actually.”

She giggled, and then agreed, her nose still buried beneath the red material. “I guess that would be true. Weather can change pretty quickly, after all, and wind can make all the difference.”

“Exactly!”

Mari bit her lip and then asked, “Have you ever caught a cold from the winter shoots?”

Adrien groaned, and then joked, “Don’t remind me about _colds_! The bane of my existence! You can catch a cold at a shoot, and at your next shoot, even if you feel like crap you have to pretend that you _don’t_ , and the photographers get mad if your eyes are watering because you’re trying not to sneeze, or if your smile isn’t as wide as they want it to be.”

He winked to show he was joking, sending his own insides writhing with anxiety and screams of _oh what am I doing? I don’t do this kind of thing to Marinette,_ but she just giggled.

“Being a rich and famous model sounds tough,” she teased. The twinkle in her eye was enough to calm him down, and Adrien heaved a huge, fake sigh.

“It’s the _worst_ ,” he pouted in an overdramatic tone.

“Oh, _poor baby_ ,” she mocked, and reached over to ruffle his hair. He froze for a split second, but then started laughing with her and reached forward to swat at her single, high ponytail playfully.

“Oh, shush, you!” he teased back.

“Rude!” she retorted, tugging lightly on a single lock of his blonde hair before dropping her hand back to her lap. Her face was turned toward him now, though, and he could see that her face was still red as her scarf, and he knew his neck was no different.

“Many apologies, Princess,” he inclined his head, the ghost of a smile on his lips, and she looked shyly away at the reiteration of his new nickname for her.

“Oh, shush, you!” she imitated him, though her voice was much softer and she glanced up at him with nervous blue eyes, as if he would be angry at her for saying it. He didn’t want her to think that at all, so he gasped dramatically and placed a hand over his heart to show that he wasn’t offended in the least.

She laughed and, before he could think of anything to say, Marinette had managed, “Oh my gosh, Adrien, you’re such a _dork_ ,” and then gasped herself and quickly said, “b-but I d-don’t mean that in a _b-bad_ way! Not at all! I j-just—“

Adrien started laughing to hide the embarrassing way he would have just stared at her adorable reaction.

“N-no, Mari, you’re fine!” he grinned at her, almost embarrassedly, and she looked up at him through her lashes with one of those looks that made his heart squeeze in his chest. “I’m just socially awkward, honestly,” he finally managed to admit, rubbing the back of his head tentatively.

“You’re not awkward!” she exclaimed, leaning towards him just a little. “ _I’m_ awkward!”

“I don’t think you’re awkward,” he laughed, lowering his hand, “but I guess that makes us both awkward, doesn’t it?”

She giggled and agreed, reaching up to twirl a lose strand of hair around her finger while offering him her other hand and asking, almost nervously, “Shake on it?”

He took her offered hand with a grin and shook, and then, possessed by a sudden inspiration, he shifted his grip and lifted her hand to brush his lips lightly across her knuckles. His ears burned, but he gave her a smirk and her blue eyes widened before a grin slowly crawled across her face. Her eyes twinkled, and he released her hand when he reverted to a shy smile of his own.

It was then that the car was pulled into a parking space near their destination, and the two climbed out of the car. Marinette saw Alya, excused herself momentarily, and ran forward to give the girl a hug around the three bags the redhead was carrying. Adrien sighed, watching them interact, before turning and asking for his own bag, which his driver passed to him with a grunt of assent and the inquiry, “Would you like the car to stay here, sir?”

“You can go wherever you want for a while. We’ll probably be at least an hour, and I’ll call you if I need you.”

“Very good, sir.”

And then Adrien slipped on his hat, leaving his glasses hooked to his shirt, and slid from the car with his gifts for the dark-haired woman in hand.

Alya had pulled Marinette aside and was talking with her, a smug grin on her face, and an extremely flushed Marinette was talking quickly, as if trying to convince her redheaded friend of something. Nino dropped an arm around Adrien’s shoulder when the blond stepped beside him and Adrien knew that look in his friend’s eye.

“Mari was so red when she got over here,” Nino’s lilting, teasing voice surfaced. “What were you up to on your way over here?”

Adrien felt his face, his neck, and his ears heat up almost instantly at the insinuations that his friend was tossing his way.

“ _Nothing_ ,” he hissed at the DJ, furious in his embarrassment. His green eyes shot towards the girls for a second, and then back to Nino, “We just talked a little, and agreed that we were _both_ socially awkward, and talked about the weather, like normal, socially awkward people because you _know_ how socially awkward I am!”

Nino snorted, “ _Chill_ , Adrien, I’m just teasing you. She didn’t see that?” he gestured to the bag in Adrien’s hand. “You didn’t want to give it to her _in private_?”

“ _Nino_ ,” Adrien’s tone held a bit of warning, and the other man laughed as the blond sighed. “No, she hasn’t seen it yet. And there’s not really anything I need to keep private, so please, _please_ , cut me some slack.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Nino slapped him on the back, grinning widely, and called over to the girls, “Hey, Alya, Mari! Let’s go on in, I’m getting cold! We can find a table, decide what we want, and then Adrien and I can go up and order!”

“Sure thing!” Alya beamed back, nudging Marinette towards the door. The dark-haired woman stepped forward as Nino opened the door and ushered them inside. He nodded for Adrien to step in behind Marinette and he did so as Nino followed behind. Alya was on a mission to find a table and, once she had, she sat her three gift bags proudly on the table and grinned at Marinette.

Nino stepped past Adrien, placing a smaller bag that the blond hadn’t noticed before on the table with a grin as he took the seat across from Marinette and next to Alya, and Adrien flushed lightly as he stepped up to sit his own gift bag on the table, sliding into the chair between the birthday girl and his crafty best friend.

“Happy birthday, girl,” Alya grinned.

“Happy birthday, Mari!” Nino chimed.

Adrien was last, but he smiled and added, “Happy birthday, Marinette,” as warmly as he could.

He wanted a _thousand_ pictures of her blushing face, please and thank you.

“Wait, _what_?” Marinette squeaked. “You all— _did you plan this_? You planned this from the start, didn’t you? Oh my God, I can’t believe I didn’t notice!”

Adrien started chuckling at nearly the same time as Nino and Alya, and absolutely loved the way that the birthday girl pouted indignantly. She was a grown woman—how was she so _adorable_?

“Oh, Marinette, it’s too easy to surprise you!” Alya was laughing harder than either of the men, her cheeks pink from it. “You’re so forgetful, especially when you’re absorbed in a new project! And it’s not even the first time that you’ve forgotten your own _birthday_!”

“Alya, _stop_ ,” the dark-haired woman whined. “I get it already.”

“Okay, okay, okay!” the redhead wheezed, bringing her laughter around as Adrien cleared his throat gently, pretending that he hadn’t been laughing at all. Nino did the same, and Marinette shot them a look that made Nino snort once more and made Adrien hide his face as he chuckled again. “Okay,” Alya finally said, “I’m good. Now, Mari, let’s get you your presents before we order food!”

“Agreed!” Nino seconded, and Adrien nodded when Alya and Mari turned their attention to him.

“Fine,” she groaned, leaning forward and reaching towards the bag closest to her, which happened to be one of Alya’s.

“You know you can’t stop us,” the blogger beamed mischievously. “And now we’ve got a new accomplice, eh, Adrien?”

She winked, and he felt his flush rise again as he hurriedly agreed, “Of course!”

The group laughed and Marinette made playfully upset faces good-naturedly as she revealed several different types of cloth in Alya’s three bags. A few times she gasped, murmured something about having been looking for that particular shade or sheen or design, and sometimes she glanced to Alya and hissed that she shouldn’t have spent that much on a specific swatch. Alya just grinned and waved it off.

“You know you’ve made enough things for me in the past,” the redhead pointed out, “it’s only right that I pay you back in the supplies!”

Adrien started to get fidgety when she pulled Nino’s gift over. The first thing she pulled out was a card—she’d gotten one from Alya, too, and there was going to be another one from Adrien, so that didn’t make him nervous. Next she pulled out a small box and, upon opening it, found an assortment of needles. She smiled softly, glancing at them, and thanked Nino.

“You remembered that some of my sewing machine’s needles were getting dull!” she laughed, making sure the box they came in was firmly shut before reaching for the bottom item, and largest. When she unwrapped the package, twelve different colored spools of thread fell to the table in front of her.

She thanked Nino again, but the blond didn’t really pay much attention to what she was saying to him because she was slowly packing the items back into the bag with care and Alya was winking at Adrien and pulling his gift bag closer to Marinette for when she finished with Nino’s and Adrien _knew_ he was blushing and fidgeting nervously. What made it worse was the knowing glance that Nino and Alya shared before Nino flashed him a smirk, and he wanted to groan.

But then Marinette was looking up at him through her lashes _again_ and he could hear the blood pounding in his ears because it was the cutest thing, and he did his best to compose himself so he could watch her more closely. She pulled out the envelope first, which held only the card, and she smiled at the black cat and ladybug on the front of it before reaching for the next thing. This was probably the thing he was most nervous about.

She sat the box in the palm of her hand gently, opening it slowly. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise, but a laugh bubbled out as she turned to show Alya before lifting the necklace out of the box to show Nino. He blinked, and then he chuckled, nudging Adrien with a murmured, _Nice!_

The blond wasn’t paying attention to his best guy friend, though, because Marinette was actually clasping the necklace around her neck, and smiling prettily at him while she was doing so.

Was that actually his pulse he hearing in his ear? Because his heart felt like it was beating out of his chest.

But she was reaching back into the bag now, and he had to calm his heart and focus, because here’s where the selling point kind of rested. And she slowly pulled out the sleek, carefully bound book, and he flushed as she read the cover, her eyes widening, before opening to the first few pages and then slowly flipping through the entire thing. Alya had stood to peer over her shoulder, and Mari’s mouth had fallen open in surprise.

In front of her was a compilation of pictures from Adrien’s photoshoots that had featured pieces by her, and in the margins, her clothing had been isolated and analyzed by the various judges of the contests and _his father_ —how he had convinced Nathalie to help him with this was still a mystery to him, but the look on Marinette’s face was worth it as she puffed up with embarrassment but also with pride.

“Adrien…how…?” she managed to murmur, glancing up at him briefly on the third to last page. “This is…”

“It was some of the judging criteria,” he scratched his chin embarrassedly. “It’s all kept on record at the office, and I have a certain limited access, so…”

“They even left some criticisms…this is so _helpful_ ,” she breathed, flipping to the next page. Adrien’s breath caught again because she was getting closer to the thing that had caused him to pull a few more strings than usual. And then finally, she flipped to the last page, where an inscription on the inside of the back cover pointed to a pocket.

And then Marinette reached in and pulled out the ticket.

She stared at it for a second, then gasped and flattened it on the table so that Alya could see it too, staring wide-eyed at a ticket to one of the biggest fashion events of the year. And not just any ticket—a VIP ticket with access to the reception afterwards.

“Oh my _God_ ,” Alya breathed, and then looked up at Adrien with sparkling eyes. “We’re gonna have some _words_ about you outdoing the best friend’s gift,” she threatened, but her grin made it less intimidating, “but _I can’t believe_ you actually got a ticket to the biggest fashion show of the _season_! Well, I _can_ because you’re probably _in_ the show, but _still!_ ”

“This had to cost so much!” the girl in question finally breathed, “I…I don’t know if I can…”

She was clutching it tightly, slowly drawing it to her chest as she looked to him with wide, questioning blue eyes, and he just smiled at her, keeping his composure for once in a very, very long while.

“It’s yours,” he told her, and then he worked up all the courage he had left. “If you want, I can stick with you at the reception afterwards so it’s not as overwhelming.”

Her eyes were shining, but she managed a soft, “Thank you so much…” as she beamed at him. Her smile was so bright he thought he might faint.

But he managed to say, “Happy birthday, Marinette,” again, with a soft smile, and then she pulled her blue eyes away from his and gave him a chance to breathe again as Nino suggested that they carefully put the bags on the floor for now and choose what to order. Alya seconded his idea quickly and Adrien just nodded, kind of absently, as he pulled his gaze from the woman of his dreams to the menu above the counter.

After a few more moments, Alya gave Nino her order, and then Marinette gave them hers, and the two young men stood up to place the orders. Nino nudged Adrien, murmuring something about how smooth he’d been, but Adrien scarcely heard. His mind was awhirl.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sure, her heartrate was through the roof, but that smile was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have another almost 7K chapter! These adorable dorks will be the death of me.

“I can’t believe this,” Marinette whispered to Alya once the boys were gone. She was holding the ticked to the winter show close to her heart, blue eyes wide as she glanced to her redheaded friend. “This is a VIP ticket to the biggest fashion show of the _season_. On _Christmas Eve_ ,” she breathed.

Alya leaned in with a grin and murmured, “It looks like you have a Christmas _date._ ”

The red springing to Marinette’s cheeks as she turned to stare fully at her friend was _so_ worth it, in the blogger’s opinion. Her mouth opened to protest, but only a single, small squeak came out, and the designer just stared at her friend in silence for a few long seconds before she closed her mouth and, almost dejectedly, responded, “I’m sure it’s not like that, Alya.”

“I’m sure it _is_ ,” the redhead quipped back, hooking a finger in the delicate chain of the necklace that Marinette was wearing. “He gets you a ticket to the fashion show you’ve been _dreaming_ about since you were fourteen, found out that he’s worn _tons_ of your designs and gives you a book full of the judges’ critiques on them, _including those of Gabriel Agreste_ , his father and your fashion idol, and then tops it off with _this_ ,” Alya let the necklace fall back into place as her flushing friend reached up to place a gentle hand over the ladybug charm. “Marinette, if you don’t have him wrapped around your little finger, then I’ll eat my socks.”

She crinkled her nose in an adorable way, and the redhead grinned again.

“Y-you really think so, Alya?” she asked in a tiny voice, looking up through her lashes. Alya would have _paid_ to see Adrien’s reaction if he’d been on the other end of this look. It was always a good show.

“Yes, I do!” she declared boldly. “And you saw the interview he had last week. Imagine what he’d do if he found out that he’s already worn _and_ modelled for _Ladybug_!”

“I-I don’t know if I c-can tell him that!” she squeaked, glancing up to where the two guys were talking, Nino with his arm around Adrien’s shoulder. Marinette was momentarily distracted by the sun glinting off of the model’s golden hair, but turned back when Alya made a small noise. Sheepishly, the designer raised her eyes to meet her friend’s and offered a tentative smile.

“Marinette, you have to tell him,” Alya pressed, her eyes trailing to the counter where the two were placing their orders. “In fact, tell him and then ask him to actually model for the _Ladyblog_. You know he loves your designs, and he said he’d be honored to model them. It’s a win-win!”

“Wouldn’t it be too obvious to have him model my guys’ line?” the dark-haired girl countered nervously. “He’s already said he wanted to in an interview, so if I just suddenly have a handsome blond model featured on the _Ladyblog_ , he’d _never_ escape the press!”

“Yeah, just because, _if_ they recognize him with that mask you’ve already made, they’ll want to know who _you_ are.”

Marinette groaned.

“Like I said, though,” Alya continued quickly, “you’ve already got the mask. You even attached _cat ears_ , Marinette. We can have Juleka style his hair differently, like she does for you, and we can pick up some contacts if you’re still worried, even though your cat mask has some green lenses. We could find ways to disguise him, Mari, but you just have to _ask him_.”

Adrien really was her best bet. Nino had refused because he hated having his pictures taken and wouldn’t reconsider despite Mari’s many pleas. Nathanael was too shy and, despite having turned him down in the past, she was a little afraid of giving him false hope. All of the other guys they knew and trusted to keep secrets were either too buff or too small in stature for her designs to suit them. It didn’t help that she had designed many of the male line with Adrien’s build in mind, measurements remembered from Gabriel Agreste’s many fashion contests.

She sighed, casting yet another glance over to where the guys were picking up the trays of food, and murmured, “Fine.”

Alya let out a silent cheer, making a gesture of victory, and Marinette prepared herself. This is just like the beginning, when they’d pulled Nino in for audio work and Juleka in for hair and makeup. Alya would start by inviting everyone over to Marinette’s apartment, the dark-haired girl herself would approve, and then they would have to make sure that his schedule was clear enough. If not today, they’d have to wait and see some other day.

“Hey, guys!” the redhead cast a triumphant grin at Nino, and the designer knew that they must have been betting. “Mari’s invited us all to her apartment after this. Are you guys both free?”

“I’ve got to be at the club at seven tonight, but I’ve got plenty of time to chill before then,” Nino responded with a casual shrug, but he and the girls knew that it was Adrien’s response that really counted.

“My photoshoot yesterday wrapped up without a hitch, so he said that we wouldn’t have to meet again this afternoon, but let me double check,” Adrien answered slowly, pulling out his phone to look up his schedule. He typed out a quick message, looked at his schedule until his phone chimed in his hand, and then checked the message before beaming back up at them. “I’m free for the rest of the evening, it seems!”

“Awesome!” Alya cheered, and Marinette couldn’t help but giggle at her enthusiasm. The designer’s own heart was beating out of her chest, she was sure, and she was fighting the mounting excitement but also the crippling nervousness that revealing her secret was going to come with.

Marinette received a text then, her phone letting off a bark that stopped the conversation. Her face flushed and she apologized, but it only made Adrien start to laugh, and Nino and Alya soon joined in. While they composed themselves, she opened the text message quickly and saw that it was from Juleka.

_Alya texted. We might have a new guy?_

The dark-haired woman glanced at her friend, who just gave her a little shrug and a grin, and Marinette pointedly rolled her eyes at Alya before typing, _We’re not sure yet, but we’re going to tell him about ‘Ladybug’ after we finish at the café we’re meeting in._

Mari turned to join in the conversation, her phone now on vibrate and beside her on the table as Adrien smilingly passed her the slice of pie she’d ordered, and then the warm drink. She couldn’t help herself and ended up beaming brightly at him, albeit rather nervously, as she thanked him. She pretended that she couldn’t see the flush on his cheeks, and when she admitted it was there she convinced herself that it wasn’t because of her.

Her fingers still lifted to brush her new _ladybug_ necklace, though, and it calmed her just a bit.

Adrien was a fan of _Ladybug_ , she had to keep telling herself. He liked her work, commented her on it, and told her that she was creating on a professional level. He had even said that he’d _love_ to model for the _Ladyblog_ , and the new male line, in the interview that had aired over the weekend. Alya had spent the last four and a half days convincing her that this man in front of her was the perfect model for her _Chat Noir_ line, but now came actually asking him.

 _He likes your designs_ , she had to keep telling herself, _and he said that he’d love to model the new men’s line._

She ignored the fact that, when Alya had brought it up the first time the two of them had met, he’d said it would probably be impossible. Logically, she knew it was probably because he didn’t expect to have the designer right next to him, but she also wondered if it might be a contract issue with his father’s company.

Marinette heard her phone buzz on the table, jerking her out of her thoughts, and she reached over to check the message.

_Let me know how it goes._

The dark-haired woman quickly shot Juleka a text that said _OK_ and tried to bring herself back into the conversation. It was her birthday, after all, and she was sure that her friends were wanting her to interact with them instead of with her phone.

* * *

 

When they had nearly finished with their afternoon snack, a distant rumble sounded. The café’s interior had darkened considerably, and when the four turned to look to the sky, they found that it was raining.

“When did it start raining?” Alya asked incredulously, then gasped and groaned, “And how do we keep all of Marinette’s new things from getting damaged by the rain?”

“We can call a cab,” Mari said soothingly, her hand on Alya’s elbow.

“I’ve got one better,” Nino cut in, smirking at his blond friend. “We can have Adrien call his car, and then we won’t have to pay for a cab! And, for the record, no matter what we’re doing, I call shotgun!”

“You know, I like the sound of that!” Alya grinned, “I’d rather not pay the cab fare.”

Adrien laughed and offered them all a smile. “I can go call now, if you want me to. But I’ll be sure to cash in a favor sometime.”

He winked, and _oh_ , how Marinette felt her face lighting up. She quickly turned to take another drink of her coffee, looking up at him through her lashes and praying that he hadn’t seen how instantaneous her blush had been. When his eyes met hers, he offered her a quick smile as he pulled out his phone, excusing himself briefly from the table so he could call his driver.

“Oh, did you see how red his ears were when he got up?” Alya said softly, nudging Marinette. “The shy act is working well for you, Mari!”

“ _Alya_!” the dark-haired girl hissed, her eyes flicking to the blond and then to Nino, who was watching them with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Did you see how red Mari got when he _winked_?” Nino shot back, leaning closer to Alya with a smug grin. Mari felt her cheeks burning once more, and she groaned, dropping her forehead to the table. “I think she was the same color as her scarf.”

“ _Nino_ ,” she whined, and she heard her two longtime friends start laughing.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Adrien’s voice chipped in lightly, and the designer sat up quickly, causing Alya to snicker. “He said that he would be here in about ten minutes. He also said that we didn’t have to rush once he arrived,” the model relayed, smiling at them. “We’re almost done anyway, though, right?”

* * *

 

This was all Alya’s fault. Well, Nino had started it, but Alya had pushed it. And Alya was the reason that Marinette wasn’t sure she’d be able to speak on the drive back to her apartment.

Nino had clambered into the passenger seat like he had claimed from the start, which was all well and good, but as they stowed their bags in the trunk, Alya had proclaimed her stout refusal to sit in the middle of the backseat.

Which put Marinette, as the smallest, in that predicament.

This wasn’t unusual. If they ever went somewhere together, the three friends, Marinette or Alya usually ended up in the middle because they were smaller. If they went with a larger group, it was usually Marinette because Nino liked laying claim to the front seat, as he had done this time. So it wasn’t like the situation bothered her in particular.

It was just that she was close enough to feel Adrien’s body heat, and their thighs were pressed lightly together and their knees were touching. Her elbow was brushing his, despite the fact that her hands were clasped in her lap, and their shoulders were in constant contact.

Marinette was so close to the most handsome man she’d ever _seen_ let alone been _friends_ with, and her heart couldn’t take it. What made it worse was that Adrien had just given the directions to her apartment and his driver had literally just started the car. Nino started up a casual conversation with the driver who seemed to take it well, and Alya pointedly looked away from Mari with a sly grin, pulling out her phone and pulling up her blog to police the comments.

Every little movement of the car sent her bobbling in place in the middle seat, sometimes leaning heavily against Alya and sometimes against Adrien, which made her entire body feel like it was on fire.

His hand fell to his knee—his left knee, the one that was touching her right—and when his pinky just lightly brushed against her own knee, she flushed at the urge to cover his hand with her own. She refrained, cheeks burning, and glanced shyly up at him out of the corner of her eye. And then froze temporarily when she found that he was looking at her, too. She opened her mouth to say something, but his slow, embarrassed smile stole her breath away and she just found herself smiling gently back.

Sure, her heartrate was through the roof, but that smile was worth it.

“Sorry you got stuck with me,” Adrien joked lightly, his voice soft. And then he winked at her again, and she started to giggle nervously because her heart couldn’t take it.

“N-no,” she waved him off, hand lightly touching his arm as she did so, “I’m sorry you got stuck with _me_!”

Her voice was teasing. That was a lot better than the squeaks she had been nearly positive were about to surface as soon as she had opened her mouth.

And then _Adrien offered her his hand_. She stared at it blankly, blue eyes wide, before he chuckled and said, “We agreed that we were both awkward, didn’t we?”

A laugh bubbled up from somewhere inside, and she took his offered hand and added, “Shake on it!”

They both laughed a little at the familiarity, but their hands perhaps lingered a little too long after they shook, and Marinette was sure that both of them had noticed. But…the warmth of his hand was really, _really_ nice and she didn’t want to let go. Slowly, though, they pulled their hands back and offered small smiles to each other as Mari reached up with her freed hand to touch her scarf lightly, right above where her necklace rested.

She didn’t notice that Adrien’s cheeks colored at the action. What she did notice was that the car was turning, and she was pressed _so close to him_ that she could barely think straight, and when she finally was able to right herself she hesitated for a few seconds.

Maybe, if Alya was right about him returning her feelings…but Marinette silently scolded herself, sitting straight in her seat. Even if he did like her back, no one wanted to be squished against the door of a car for any length of time. Even if her apartment was fairly close, she didn’t want to do that to him. It would be incredibly rude, and she would probably be the only one getting any sort of happiness from the proximity.

But then Adrien shifted, and she glanced over as he lifted his hand from his knee, raised it, and—wait, was he…?

His hand.

_On her shoulder._

His arm was _around her shoulders_.

She knew her face had to be coloring rapidly as she turned to look at him questioningly, head cocked slightly to the side as she bit her lip, trying to figure out how to word her question in a way that wouldn’t make him move his arm. She wanted it to stay exactly where it was for the next thirty years, thanks.

“U-um…” she managed intelligently.

“I, uh, figured this might be easier,” he offered, somewhat tentatively, with a nervous grin at her. “If you want me to move, I can.”

“No!” her words were quick, and her eyes widened as she tried to make herself seem a little less eager, “No, i-it’s fine! W-whatever’s more comfortable!”

She could have kicked herself, but his smile relaxed a little and his hand lightly squeezed her shoulder. Internally, Marinette was _screaming_. He was so close, and he had put his arm around her shoulders of his own accord, and their thighs seemed to be pressed more closely together than before and her pinky was brushing his lightly from where her hand rested on her own thigh and she was _melting_. Was it supposed to feel like the middle of summer in the backseat of his car?

 “Thanks,” his voice was soft, and it sent heat crawling up the back of her neck.

Oh, _God_ , Alya would never let her live this down. She spared a glance to the blogger on her other side and inwardly groaned at the perpetual smirk teasing the redhead’s lips. A quick look to the front seat saw Nino using the metallic surface of his blank phone screen as a mirror, but when his eyes met hers in the reflection, he craned his neck around and offered her a knowing grin.

“H-how has work been?” she found her voice, somehow, because the silence in the car was stifling when she knew both of her best friends were working against her—well, it was _for_ her, and if Alya was right about the model’s feelings and intentions, it was for _Adrien,_ too, but it still felt a bit like betrayal.

Well, not really, but her mind was a bit muddled and she was having trouble thinking straight.

But…with him right beside her, she started to realize a few little things. The coat he was wearing, for instance, showed the signs of use, so it was one he was fond of. His scarf—oh, God, his scarf was the one she’d made when she was fifteen, _how did he still have that?_ And then the scent. He smelled so good and his cologne, whatever brand it was, slowly started to invade her senses. Mari found herself subconsciously leaning a little closer to him and froze.

When Adrien didn’t protest, or acknowledge her movement, she decided to remain where she was. It wasn’t much, but those two inches made her feel nervous and jittery but also strangely content.

She didn’t look up at him, or she might have seen his green eyes as they focused on the top of her head, his ears and neck burning as she settled into her new, slightly nearer, position. Marinette might have seen the way his face softened, and she might have recognized the same hopeful longing and gentle fondness in his eyes that hers bore when she looked at him. But she chose to bask in his proximity, and saw none of it.

* * *

 

Adrien didn’t know what to expect from their visit to Marinette’s apartment, but the car ride over had given him courage to face _anything_.

Did she maybe have photos of her boyfriend or something on the walls? No, surely Nino would have mentioned if she was already in a relationship…unless it was something that Nino himself didn’t even know about? Was she allowed to have pets in the apartment, and if so, was Tikki going to be rambunctious and excited to see him when he entered? He’d missed the affectionate animal, despite her gigantic size, and he wanted his best wing-dog there to help him out.

He almost regretted the moment when the car pulled up in front of her building. It meant that he’d lose the close contact he’d had with Marinette for the last five minutes, and he lamented that. So he let his arm linger across her shoulders for a few seconds longer than necessary before reluctantly withdrawing and making sure his hat was firmly atop his golden hair. With a smile at the girl next to him, who shyly smiled back, he slipped out of the car, thanking his driver and again telling him that he would call if he needed him.

He and Nino met at the trunk and he pointedly ignored his friend’s raised eyebrow as they gathered all of the birthday gifts as Alya ushered Marinette to the doors after the dark-haired woman had leaned back into the car and profusely thanked the buff man for the ride.

“Smooth moves, Adrien,” Nino remarked once the girls were dashing through the rain.

“Nino,” Adrien sighed in return, doing his best to keep the bags from getting wet as Nino slammed the trunk shut and they turned to the building.

“Just calling it like I saw it!” the DJ quipped back, smirking as they made it under the awning of the building. His voice took on a teasing tone, and Adrien groaned. “And you said that she was the only girl you couldn’t flirt with. I can’t believe you were lying to me, bro!”

“I don’t do it on _purpose_ ,” the model mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

“Come on, guys!” Alya’s insistent voice cut off whatever Nino had opened his mouth to say, and the two men rushed through the doors that their companions were patiently holding open. Well…one of them was patient. Adrien was thankful that he’d gone through Mari’s side with a grateful grin, because Alya was closing her side almost before Nino had made it through. “Let’s get up to Mari’s apartment, where we can have some coffee or tea or something!”

She gave a meaningful look to the dark-haired woman, but Adrien dismissed it. It was probably nothing, just her way of jokingly telling Marinette that she really, _really_ wanted something warm to drink after the cold rain outside.

“Let’s take the elevator,” Nino whined, already pressing the button. “I don’t feel like taking the stairs to the third floor with wet shoes, thanks.”

The four chuckled, and when the elevator dinged they all filed in.

Adrien didn’t know if it was by chance or by design, but the elevator was mildly cramped with all four of them, and he ended up next to the birthday girl. If he hadn’t been carrying bags, he might have given in to the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders again, but he refrained, the back of his neck prickling.

“Do we want tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or hot cider?” Marinette’s voice startled him out of his thoughts, guiltily.

“Anything sounds good to me,” Nino offered casually, “but you know I’m a sucker for hot chocolate.”

“That sounds good to me,” Alya shrugged, taking one of the bags from Nino even as Adrien felt Marinette doing the same. He opened his mouth to protest, but she just stuck her tongue out at him— _Marinette_ stuck her tongue out at him, that’s _new_ —and grinned when his jaw dropped. They turned back when Alya continued, “I mean, as long as it’s warm and delicious, I don’t care _which_ drink.”

“That sounds fine with me, too,” Adrien finally chipped in, grinning as he readjusted his grip on the two bags he still held.

“Hot chocolate it is!” the dark-haired woman declared as the elevator doors opened once more. She slipped out first, pausing for them, before heading down the hall to the left with a bounce in her step. Adrien realized, belatedly, that the bag she’d taken from his hands was the one he’d brought her, and although it was probably just coincidence he felt extremely flattered. He followed behind her as Alya and Nino took up the rear, playfully bickering about something or another, until she reached what was presumably her door and paused to retrieve her key.

And then, almost before Adrien had prepared himself for whatever would come, the door opened. A happy bark followed, and Marinette quickly shushed Tikki, gently placing her bag on a chair near the door and kneeling to pet the Newfoundland as she motioned for the others to come in after her.

Adrien had barely made it into the apartment before Tikki was nudging his legs, and he stumbled sideways, chuckling, before putting the two bags he held in the same chair that the owner had deposited hers in and kneeling to greet her dog.

“Hey, Tikki, it’s been a while!” he found himself saying, scratching her behind the ears. “Have you been a good girl?”

She made a happy sounding huff, since she’d been scolded for barking, and leaned forward to lick his chin. He blinked, surprised, before laughing again, petting her even as he pushed himself to his feet and the excitable hound turned to get Alya’s attention. He glanced up to find Marinette hanging her coat on a nearby coat rack before bustling toward the small kitchenette and, after a quick glance around the living room they’d entered, he followed her. Nino was already tossing his coat on the rack, so Adrien imitated on his way towards the kitchen.

“Here, Mari, let me help,” he offered as he stepped up beside her at the sink, following her example and reaching under the already running water to wash his hands. She jumped a little, turning her wide blue eyes up to look at him.

“There’s n-no need!” she grinned, drying her hands. “It’s just hot chocolate.”

“I want to help,” his voice was softer than he had intended, and she seemed to notice. But she just heaved an exaggerated sigh, passing him the towel as she went to retrieve four mugs from a cabinet.

“Alright, alright.”

Her grin showed that she was teasing, and he smiled back, following her as she told him where the hot chocolate was and asked if he wanted his with water or milk as she pulled the milk from her refrigerator.

“Milk,” he responded as he placed the towel back on the counter and made his way to where she’d said the hot chocolate mix was. “It’s better that way, isn’t it?” his voice lifted in a joking manner, and her light laugh met his ears like the sound of music. He heard her agree, and when he turned, she was already pouring milk into the mugs on the counter.

“I think the only person who doesn’t like their hot chocolate made with milk is Alya because she’s _weird_ ,” Marinette teasingly stuck her tongue out and raised her voice.

“I resent that!” the redhead called from where she and Nino were still playing with the excitable dog. “There’s nothing _wrong_ with not liking hot chocolate made with milk! And, for the record, if anyone here is weird, Mari, it’s definitely _you_!”

“ _Rude_!” the dark-haired designer quipped back easily, laughing as she passed Adrien the mugs to be put in the microwave one at a time. When that was done and the microwave was running, the two both turned to lean against the counter, observing the room as Tikki bowled over an unsuspecting Alya. Nino fell backwards, laughing, until Tikki’s tail knocked his hat off his head, then he yelped a little, leaning away from the Newfoundland.

“Mari! Call her off!” Alya whined.

“I don’t know…” she tapped her lip, as if in thought.

“I wouldn’t do it,” Adrien stage whispered, leaning slightly closer to her. “I think it’s karma for what she said about you. You should just let it play out and see where it goes.”

Mari snorted, covering her mouth with her hand, and then nodded, smirking, as the microwave beeped and the redhead continued to plead for help from the living room floor. Tikki wasn’t even on top of her, so it was extremely obvious that the other woman was just being childish. It was something Adrien had only ever seen around Nino, because most people their age, at least those that he knew, weren’t ever allowed the liberty to act like that.

Adrien was quickly learning that he liked the atmosphere around these three.

“If you’ll start taking the mugs out of the microwave, I’ll start putting the powder in,” she suggested after what she deemed was an appropriate amount of time for the mugs to cool a little. “And then we can mix them up and they’ll be ready to drink!”

“Sure thing,” the model grinned down at her, moving to do as she asked.

“Hot chocolate!” Alya cried, clambering to her feet with Nino’s help. “Just the thing to warm us all back up!”

“Says the person who drinks it the wrong way,” Nino was grinning as she punched him in the shoulder, laughing.

Marinette just heaved a huge, exaggerated sigh, passing two spoons to Adrien as she herself started stirring two of the mugs with another duo of spoons. The blond followed suit, and after a few seconds, he stopped and lifted the mugs, turning around after the young woman to place them on the bar that separated the kitchen from the dining and living room as the other two slipped past to wash their hands. Marinette slid into one of the two stools on the kitchen side of the bar after putting both of the mugs she carried on the other side, and when she turned to him he passed her one of the two he held. She smiled and nodded to the stool he stood beside, and Adrien felt a lurch in the region of his stomach that could only be some form of excitement or happiness as he took the seat next to her.

Light conversation reigned around the bar as they enjoyed their beverage, and then Alya’s face grew serious.

“So…there’s another reason we’re all here, aside from Marinette’s kind heartedness and her birthday,” the redhead’s words were almost ominous, but then she smiled knowingly at Adrien. “We’re here to let you in on a little secret of hers. Right, Mari?”

“Y-yeah,” the blond was shocked by how small her voice had grown, considering that she’d been so enthusiastic just moments before. “And I w-wanted to ask if you could h-help me with something else that’s related to it, t-too.”

“If there’s anything I can do to help out, I will,” he said, smiling reassuringly at her.

He didn’t know what he’d just sort of agreed to, but the tentative smile she cast his way out of relief calmed him, just a little.

The dark-haired woman abandoned her mug on the bar and stood, motioning for him to follow. The others slid off their own stools and filed behind him as Marinette led the way down a short hall to what he assumed were the two bedrooms in her apartment. One door had a delicately hand-decorated sign that bore her name, but the other had a curiously blank ladybug patterned sign, and that was the door she went to.

She turned the knob and stepped inside, walking to the center of the fairly large room before turning around to face him, shyly.

Adrien stepped inside the room and was at first assaulted by the abundance of red in the room. Red with black polka dots, like a ladybug motif. When he gathered his wits about him, he noticed that the room was filled with design equipment and paraphernalia. Cloth, buttons, mannequins—and even a small set up in one corner for what appeared to be indoor photoshoots, with lights and everything set up perfectly around it.

A setup that looked strangely familiar.

A setup he’d probably seen a hundred times in the background of photos he’d browsed countless times.

A setup he’d recognize _anywhere_ as the setup in all of _Ladybug’s_ photos.

And there, right beside the nervous woman in the middle of the room, stood a male mannequin with one of _Ladybug’s_ designs from the new male line she was developing, exactly as he’d seen it in the picture’s on Alya’s _Ladyblog_.

“Welcome to my studio,” Mari’s voice was so soft he almost didn’t catch her words, and he dragged his green eyes away from the professional craftsmanship of the suit on the mannequin— _oh God that jacket and those lapels how had he not realized when he’d seen the picture on the blog?_ —and he turned to stare at the shy, _adorable_ designer he’d just recently befriended. She bit her lip and asked, “Are you disappointed?”

“ _What_?” the question was a lot more forceful than he intended. “Oh my _God_ , Marinette, _no!_ Of _course_ I’m not disappointed! I just—you’re just—I can’t believe it! You’re…well, I _can_ believe it, because all of your designs are _phenomenal,_ but still. You’re _Ladybug_ and I just had that interview where I said I’d probably never meet her and _you’re_ her and I already _knew_ you and…I should really stop talking, shouldn’t I?”

He had caught sight of Nino’s smirk, and he felt his cheeks flushing, but the words had been tumbling out and now he knew he must have looked like a fool.

A giggle sounded from the designer, and he pulled his attention back to her as she ran her hands along the lapels on the jacket to flatten them. The way she kept tweaking parts of the suit that the mannequin was wearing betrayed her nervousness, and Adrien realized that he should say something. Or maybe he was waiting for her to speak?

And then she did. A soft, “Thanks,” and a shy smile later, and he felt his nerves rush away.

“You keep your secret so well,” he mused, glancing around at the design sketches on her walls. “Why did you decide to tell me?”

“W-well,” she stepped to a work table and picked something up. He couldn’t quite see what she was fiddling with when she turned around, but he tried not to pry, instead looking up to see her earnest, almost pleading expression, masked by a gentle smile. “You said you l-liked my designs and that you’d be h-honored to wear them, so I wanted to ask if you, um, wanted to be the model featuring my new men’s line?” She tilted her head down, but her eyes were still gazing at him imploringly. “I-I have a few people that do makeup and hair for me, and I have a mask and identity for the line already s-so your identity shouldn’t be compromised v-very easily. I can’t really pay you, except for letting you keep some of the designs, so you o-obviously don’t have to agree. If you’re interested, though, I’d really love to work with you.”

Adrien had barely noticed anything apart from the sound of her voice after she had asked if he wanted to model for her. It had been hard for him to focus on the actual words she was saying, and when she finished speaking he found that he was gaping at her like a fish.

How _attractive_.

“I— _what_? Y-you want _me_?”

Marinette flushed and softly started to speak, “W-with your modeling background, and your knowledge of fashion, I thought you’d be a good f-fit for the team. And not only that, but most of the pieces are made according to some of the measurements from your father’s contests, which are usually designs for you, so they would f-fit you the best. And…I always kind of wanted you to model them, even before we met, but I had just kind of…given up.”

The last was so soft that he almost couldn’t hear all of her words, and he felt a warmth rush through him.

She didn’t want him to help just because he was already a model, although it certainly was a perk. She didn’t just want him to help because of who his father was. Her eyes were bright and sincere, although the designer kept averting her gaze, and Adrien just wanted to go up and wrap her in his arms and never let her go.

Instead, he laughed and stepped forward to take her hands in his. She jerked her head up, her eyes meeting his green ones, and he beamed.

“I’d love to help!”

“You… _thank you so much_!” The relief, the surprise, the sheer _happiness_ that spread through her expressive features in the following moments sent a thrill up his spine, and he found himself moving almost before he knew what he was doing.

Her hand was at his lips and he was pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles, never mind the fact that it was more polite to kiss the air just above the skin.

“When do I start, My Lady?” he found himself asking, a lopsided grin spreading to his cheeks as he watched her squeak in surprise. He followed her blush down to the collar of her shirt but pulled his eyes back to her face, quashing the question of how far it might go as he felt the heat rising to his own cheeks.

Alya, off to the side and so far silent, started laughing. Nino’s chuckles weren’t far behind.

“L-look, Mari!” the redhead had to gasp after her fit of mirth, “I _told_ you he was perfect for it! My concept for _Chat Noir_ ’s character is _exactly_ that!”

“ _Chat Noir_?” Adrien straightened, reluctant to release Marinette’s hand but doing so anyway.

“That’s the name of the men’s line,” Nino supplied helpfully, though he was still smirking at Adrien. The blond tried to ignore it. “It comes from Marinette’s original concept of the mask.”

The model found his excitement mounting. He didn’t know how he’d manage to help her out on top of all of his usual modelling jobs, but he wouldn’t pass this opportunity up for anything. Not now that he knew how close _Ladybug_ actually was. And the idea of _anonymity_ while modelling had intrigued him since he’d first seen the _Ladyblog_ , where Marinette wore a mask and modelled her own designs.

“Is the mask ready?” he failed to hide the hopefulness in his voice.

“H-here!” Mari’s voice, a little higher than her normal tone still, supplied. He turned to her and found her offering him the object that she’d been fiddling with at the worktable just minutes ago, which had been put aside at some point.

Suddenly, the name _Chat Noir_ was starting to make sense.

It was a black mask with green lenses across the eyeholes, and, somehow meticulously attached by transparent supports, were two leather cat ears that looked like they would sit atop his head. His hair would probably be styled around the supports and ears to make them look more natural, but he was still absolutely amazed by the craftsmanship, even on such a tiny thing.

“Can I put it on?” he asked, almost shyly, as he turned it over in his hands.

The dark-haired woman standing next to him nodded with a tentative grin, and he realized suddenly how close she was actually standing when she pointed out, softly, “I think I’ll need to make a few adjustments to the mask so it stays on better and fits better, so I’d like to take a closer look, too.”

And so she helped him fasten the mask in place, gently brushing his hair this way and that way and carefully examining how it traced the contours of his face. It had been remarkably close to start with, and when he asked her about it she just blushed and avoided the question, stuttering all the while as she very pointedly ignored his gaze and pretended not to hear the way that Alya was snickering off to the side.

Later, he would only really remember the excited rush, the appearance of a woman he learned was named Juleka, and a sudden, impromptu photoshoot.

Pictures were posted on Alya’s blog the very next morning to showthat _Chat Noir_ was on the scene and that _Ladybug’s_ fabulous designs still looked better when in use, even her new men’s line. Her designs had yet to falter, and the blog was blowing up faster than ever before at the flirtatious blond model that had suddenly appeared beside their designer—because, behind the mask, Adrien found that cheesy cat puns and teasing, flirtatious remarks and gestures came with ease.

The night had passed in a blur of happiness for the blond, and he had never wanted it to end.

But alas, end it did, and he had to make his way back home to his own apartment, deal with Plagg being unusually affectionate even though Adrien had to have smelled like dog because of Tikki’s excited farewell, and get ready for a photoshoot the next day.

His new wallpaper for his computer, however, would always remind him of his first night as _Chat Noir_. It came from a photo where he, as Chat, was dressed in the jacket he’d helped her finish designing and its matching outfit with Ladybug— _Marinette_ , he reminded himself again—in a tango position, her head tossed back to show off her slender neck and her shoulders. Her strapless dress was ladybug red at the top, cinched with a fashionable black sash at her waist. As the skirt fell to her knees, the color gradually darkened into a deep red. The trim at the bottom was black, and just above it a layer of black dots spaced three inches apart all the way around, and he thought he’d never seen anything more beautiful than the woman shining with confidence as a playful smirk graced her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't notice, also, I added another chapter to this story. I didn't get a chance to cover everything I intended to cover, so you guys get a fourth and final chapter of TNF. But I warn you now that it may not come out as fast as these first three! I have finals fast approaching and a few huge projects that I should really get on. Please be patient!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has left kudos and comments! You guys mean everything to me! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was three weeks before the winter show and Alya had just given Marinette the best idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also on tumblr: http://panda013.tumblr.com/post/135081269600/tikkis-new-friend-part-iv

Marinette was woken from a pleasant slumber by a weight that dropped on her stomach and knocked the breath out of her. She gasped and looked down to find that Tikki had, once again, climbed up on the bed. The newfoundland had dropped her head on Mari’s stomach and was looking up at the young woman with one big brown eye, and the designer just groaned softly, turning to look at the time. It was three in the morning, so she buried her fingers in her furry friend’s dark locks and settled in to get comfortable.

She tried to push the thoughts of her previous dreams out of her head, her cheeks a little warm, but she was having no success so she sighed and opened her eyes to stare at her ceiling for a while as Tikki made a small sound and wiggled to get more comfortable. Marinette gently scratched behind her ears and she let out a soft, content huff.

“Silly pup,” the dark-haired woman sighed affectionately. Though Tikki was far from a pup, she was so energetic and sweet that the designer decided it made little difference.

Mari turned her gaze towards the ceiling once more, contemplating sleep until flashes of her dreams re-entered her mind. She felt her entire face going red and she groaned inwardly, lifting one hand to her face. Her skin was hot to the touch, and she was willing to bet it was all from her embarrassment.

How was she supposed to know that he’d look so _good_ in some of her newest _Chat Noir_ designs?

Adrien was a good looking man. It was common knowledge. He was a _model_ , after all, and a famous, current, popular model at that. Just the fact that she’d met him and managed to strike up a friendship with him was amazing in itself, because she didn’t think there was anything particularly special about her. But luck was on her side, because not only had she met him and befriended him—thanks to the giant dog using her stomach as a pillow—but now she had him modeling for her own designs.

And that was _great_. She was just tormented when she tried to sleep by the way that _leather_ hugged his form and accentuated a great figure she already knew was there. Paired with the air of mystery added by the mask and the touch of fun by the ears, just looking at Adrien had the potential to give her a heart attack.

Marinette didn’t take herself to be a vain person, but when she pictured the gorgeous blond clad in leather and smirking at her, she felt herself falling even further.

The sight of him in leather had filled her dreams for the last _week_ , and it was nothing innocent.

“Why is he so handsome, Tikki?” she murmured to the ceiling, still trying to distract herself from the thought of that particular bodysuit that he had worn. She felt kind of guilty for going along with Alya’s superhero concept, especially if there were any other poor, unsuspecting women who weren’t ready for the glory that was superhero _Chat Noir_ , complete with form-fitting leather bodysuit and that cocky smirk.

Tikki, rather than react to her question with a sound or huff, merely shifted in her sleep, leaving her owner alone in thought.

Marinette didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts right now—no, that was a lie, because being alone with her thoughts right now was incredibly enticing— _no_ , Marinette didn’t _need_ to be alone with her thoughts right now. She felt guilty about the things running through her mind, but she also couldn’t help but want to see it again.

“He’s handsome, and perfect, and _nice_ ,” she told herself softly, casting around for other aspects about the man himself rather than what he looked like when the outfit he was wearing hugged _every possible curve of his body and the planes of his chest and—_

 _—and,_ she added in her mind because she needed to stop that train of thought, _he picks great presents_.

Okay, she felt a little guilty for that thought, too, but it was the truth.

The book he’d given her was on her worktable, and she often referenced some of the notes when she was working. It had been a great help and, even though only a few weeks had passed, she already felt that it had helped her improve. The ticket to the winter show that he’d acquired for her waited in the drawer of the worktable, so that when she felt a little discouraged she could pull it out, dream of one day having her own designs on the runway, and then close the drawer again, the excitement welling up because she would soon get to see the show in person.

And the little ladybug necklace he’d given her, before he knew that she was the designer _Ladybug_ that he so adored, rested on her vanity so that she could remember to put it on, almost every morning.

She reveled in the way his eyes lingered on it every time he saw it glinting near her collarbone, and she saw something strange flash in his eyes each time.

She hoped that she and Alya had read those looks correctly, because for him to show _desire_ towards her was probably the one thing that Marinette wanted more than any other. And for him to watch her as affectionately as her redheaded friend continuously claimed he did was another thing that the designer wanted with all her heart.

After a while of traipsing through her thoughts and trying to avoid one particular string of thoughts, Marinette finally managed to slip back into sleep.

* * *

 

“Man, if we’d thought about it sooner, you could have designed your own dress for the reception after the winter fashion show! And Adrien’s suit, too!”

It was three weeks before the winter show and Alya had just given Marinette the _best_ idea.

The redhead had only said it offhandedly, wistfully, but the designer perked up and ideas started springing to life. His suit would have to be black, of course, with green accents, because Adrien looked absolutely _gorgeous_ when he wore dark colors with just a hint of green. Her own dress would be red, of course—but would that be too obvious?

Her fingers started tapping a rhythm on the café table, and Alya’s brow rose.

“Oh, no. No, no, no, no, _no_ ,” the journalist leaned across the table towards her friend. “You have got to be _kidding_ me, Marinette. You’ll kill yourself trying to finish that in just three weeks!”

“But _Alya_ ,” the dark-haired woman whined, reaching down to scratch behind Tikki’s ears where the dog rested at her feet, “it’s the biggest show of the season. And the reception afterwards will have all the designers and models—it’s the best place for me to show off my own stuff! Even if it’s not guaranteed to be noticed, I have to _try_! Besides, I have a few old designs I never used, and I think I have a formal dress that would be _perfect_. I just need to find the right material for it, and if I get to work today on finishing those designs, I should be able to start making them by the time the weekend rolls around.”

“Mari, are you insane?” Alya groaned, but the designer noted the defeat in her tone. “You’ve been doing double the work since Adrien agreed to help you out, with designing and creating the clothes as well as working at the bakery. Are you sure you can handle it?”

Marinette’s blue eyes twinkled with amusement as she waved Alya’s concerns off with a flick of her wrist. “Come on, Alya, how do you think I made it through high school and college? All that homework _and_ designing for the blog? It’s the same thing, only this time my homework is to make clothes that famous designers can appreciate.”

“You’re already up to your ears in your winter designs for _Ladybug_ and _Chat Noir_!” the redhead hissed. “And the basis for your designs are the superhero concepts I gave you weeks ago—at least for Adrien. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather just make him more leather suits instead of formal wear?”

The tease was there, and the designer went bright red, spitting out a drink of her tea.

“A- _Alya_!” she choked on her words, reaching for a napkin.

The blogger just grinned as Marinette struggled to clean up her mess. “That’s what you get for ogling those photos for three hours the day after they went up on the blog, Mari.”

“I wasn’t _ogling_!” she squeaked.

 _Very convincing_ , she inwardly groaned, _way to go, Marinette._

“Sure you weren’t,” Alya looked unfazed and very unimpressed. Somehow, throughout their years-long friendship, Marinette had never been able to fool Alya—save for the year and a half she’d managed to run the _Ladybug Designs_ blog on her own. That was a _feat_.

“Anyway,” she tried to change the subject, neglecting to mention that it was the same train of thought that had ruined her sleeping patterns for the last two weeks, “when were we going to do the shoot for the winter designs? The only thing I have left is Adrien’s hood because I’m struggling with the cat ears, but other than that and a few final tweaks, they’re good to go.”

“This weekend,” Alya’s response was prompt, although she did sigh at the way Mari was cutting off her fun. “I have meetings tomorrow, and there’s an event Friday that I have to report for. Saturday works best for me, but we’ll have to double check with Adrien to see if he’s free. Sunday morning would also work, but I have another event on Sunday night.”

“That’s what you get for being a popular reporter,” Marinette pointed out. Alya groaned, but she wore a proud grin.

“I’ll get in touch with Adrien,” the designer pulled out her phone as she spoke, “and ask him what times he has available this weekend. In the meantime, I’ll finish the hood and then start designing for the winter show.”

“You’re going to overwork yourself.”

“You’re acting like I haven’t done this much before, Alya.”

The two young women looked at each other defiantly, and both started grinning after a few moments.

“Who am I kidding? No one can stop Marinette Dupain-Cheng when she’s on a roll!” the redhead finally conceded, throwing her hands in the air dramatically. “Heaven knows how many times I’ve tried and failed in all our years of friendship!”

The two started to laugh then, big grins and bright eyes lighting up their features. Tikki shifted at Marinette’s feet and the dark-haired woman reached down to pet her. Tikki made a pleased, contented huff and snuggled closer to her owner’s legs as the woman, in turn, finally lifted her phone and opened her messages.

Adrien was the third contact down, after only her mother and Alya, and she reopened the conversation to type her new message as Alya slipped away for the restroom, excusing herself.

_Hey, Adrien! We wanted to try to do the winter wear shoot this weekend. Are you free any time on Saturday or on Sunday morning?_

Marinette tried not to be nervous as she pressed the _Send_ button. They’d been friends for a while now and texted as constantly as their schedules—and her embarrassing daydreams—would allow, but it still sent nerves to the pit of her stomach every time she typed out a message. But she took a breath and sat her phone aside, reaching for her drink as she patiently waited for Alya to come back. They only had a little bit before Marinette had to return to the bakery to help out, and Alya had to go back to the office to see what her boss thought of her newest proposal.

She still didn’t have a response when she got back to work later, but she didn’t let it bother her much. Adrien was a famous, busy man, after all.

* * *

 

_Hey, sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner! Photoshoot. Anyway, my Sat is all clear, but I’m busy Sun!_

Marinette saw the text when she got off work at four, and smiled to herself. He’d sent it about forty-five minutes earlier, but there had been an afternoon rush so she hadn’t had the free time to check her phone.

_No problem! We’ll meet at the usual 2pm for the shoot, then?_

She tapped her fingers against her purse as she finished the message, calling a farewell to her parents as she slipped out the front door. Tikki looked to her excitedly, bouncing on her paws like a hyperactive puppy, and Marinette laughed. She unhooked the newfoundland’s leash and knelt in front of Tikki to give her a light kiss on the nose. Tikki barked, wagged her tail, and licked the designer’s chin before bouncing a few steps toward the next door park.

“Yes, Tikki, we can go to the park for a while!” the dark-haired woman laughed, allowing her pet to lead the way. “You’re lucky I love you so much!”

As they made their way through the gate, Marinette’s phone buzzed again.

_That’s purrfect!_

She blinked once. Twice. Tikki pulled her to their favorite place in the park, near the fountain in the middle as her phone vibrated again and another message came through.

_Wait I didn’t mean to say that_

Another vibration.

_Let’s just forget that._

_Are you going to the park today?_

_I mean, my cat’s being annoying so I’m taking him to the park and I thought maybe you’d be there?_

_I’m just going to stop now._

Marinette stared at the stream of texts before a giggle bubbled up and escaped. It was quite possibly the cutest thing she had seen in quite a long while.

_Calm down, silly kitty! You’re fine! Tikki and I just got to the park anyway_ _☺_

She sent it, laughing, before realizing exactly what she had called him. Her laugh caught in her throat and she stared at the words _silly kitty_ for several long moments before squeaking and nearly dropping her phone.

Tikki made a concerned, questioning sound, wrapping herself around her owner’s legs, and Marinette just giggled nervously, reaching down to pat her as she stared at the message she’d sent.

“Tikki, what did I just _do_?” she asked, breathlessly, as she dropped into a crouch. The dog just nuzzled into her neck and she grinned and chuckled, ruffling the big black beast’s fur. “At least you won’t judge me for bad nicknames, little Ladybug,” she touched the red and black collar that Tikki wore and pressed her forehead to the dog’s with a soft, calming sigh.

Her phone buzzed and she inhaled quickly, remembering just why she’d sought comfort from her furry friend.

Mari leaned away from Tikki and lifted her phone, opening the new message.

_Well then, My Lady, I’ll see you soon! ;)_

Her breath hitched in her throat and she felt a grin stretch across her cheeks. Maybe it was because she’d taken his very _Chat Noir_ vibe in stride, but the slightly flirtatious note of the text made her heart soar.

 _Maybe,_ Marinette mused as she slid her phone back into her purse, _just maybe, Alya was right_.

The dark-haired woman stood and rolled her shoulders a little, smiling down at her precious good luck charm. Tikki hopped around joyfully, barking softly, and Marinette let the excited canine lead her in a few circles around the fountain. She then began sniffing the air and then turned her head quickly to the right.

“What is it, girl?” the designer asked, stepping forward and ruffling the dark fur on Tikki’s back. She lifted her eyes to follow the dog’s gaze even as the newfoundland let out a bark. Marinette hurriedly leaned forward to shush her and she hunched back a little with a sheepish, almost apologetic look at her owner. “What’s got you so worked up?”

Marinette finally let her eyes follow Tikki’s line of sight, just as Adrien came into view. He spotted the two immediately and a grin spread across his features and he raised a hand to wave. In his other arm was a lithe black cat, clad in a black harness with green accents and looking extremely bored with their surroundings.

“Mari!” Adrien’s hand went down to make sure his hat was pulled firmly over his golden locks, although the chill in the air had prevented many people from coming to the park. “Tikki!” he added when the dog bounded up excitedly, and a chuckle cascaded from his lips.

“Hi, Adrien!” Marinette smiled at him, walking over to meet him near a bench and giggling as he leaned in a little hesitantly to let the two animals sniff each other. “Is this Plagg?” she asked, slowly reaching out to scratch behind the cat’s ear. He mewed softly, a rumble starting in his chest, as Tikki also leaned forward to sniff the smaller animal.

“Yeah,” the model grinned, “and it looks like he already likes you more than he likes me!”

Marinette, who was crouching beside Tikki now, arms carefully curling around the large dog so that she could restrain her if necessary, laughed lightly at his words. Both pet owners were slightly distracted, though, watching how their two companions reacted to each other. The two black animals regarded each other curiously before the cat squirmed in the blond man’s arms, leaning forward to press his nose against Tikki’s forehead, and then he turned to rub the side of his face there. The dog, in response, made a soft sound and stuck her nose against the cat’s side, sniffing before sitting and wagging her tail happily.

Adrien’s cat wriggled free of his arms then and dropped to the ground in front of Tikki. Marinette noticed the leash leading to Adrien’s wrist then as he gave the dog a gentle rub on her neck. Tikki nuzzled his hand in return, the thumping sound of her tail hitting the ground a clear indication of how content she was.

“Looks like they like each other,” Marinette remarked with an almost disbelieving chuckle as the cat rubbed up against Tikki and Tikki nuzzled him back. And then, just after she’d finished speaking, Tikki sank to the ground and curled up on her side, as if for a nap, and Plagg the cat casually hopped on top of her, settling himself in the juncture between her shoulder and her head and nuzzling his nose against her ear.

“That’s an understatement,” Adrien responded, his tone almost as flabbergasted as Marinette felt. Then the duo laughed and, when the model took a seat on the bench in front of which their pets had curled up, the designer followed suit, taking a spot right next to him.

“I can’t believe they get along so well,” Mari murmured as the cat lazily flexed his paws. “They’ve only just met!”

“I can’t believe it, either,” Adrien agreed, watching as Tikki huffed lightly, shifting her head so that the cat could be more comfortable. “Unless they knew each other at the shelter, though I can’t imagine them letting a cat and dog be too close to each other very often.”

“The shelter?”

Adrien glanced over at the dark-haired woman and grinned, almost sheepishly. “Oh, didn’t you know? Nino said we got these two from the same adoption event. I never realized that he hadn’t mentioned it to you.”

“No, I didn’t know that!” she laughed lightly. “Well, maybe that’s why they get along.”

“Or, they say that sometimes pets can tell when their owners are close,” Adrien suggested tentatively, and though Marinette tried not to read into his statement too much she still liked the sound of it. “Maybe they can tell that we’re good friends?”

 _Good friends_. The sound of that was nice, considering that their friendship had honestly not been tempered by the same number of years that her friendships with Nino and Alya had been. It felt good to know that he considered her just as much of a friend as she considered him—well, _maybe_ , if Alya’s suspicions could be trusted.

Marinette flushed, but she laughed at his words and leaned her shoulder lightly against his.

“Maybe,” she agreed softly.

She felt like being bold today, so she stayed leaning against his shoulder. A slight pressure surprised her, and she realized that he was leaning back against her lightly. She glanced up at him and met his green eyes as he looked down at her. He offered her a grin and nudged her softly but otherwise didn’t bother pulling away. Marinette laughed out loud and let herself sink a little more heavily against his side.

They sat like that for a good long while, talking and joking lightly as their pets slept in front of them.

“It’s like they’ve known each other for ages,” Adrien finally mused after fifteen minutes or more had passed, and Plagg had shifted his position on Tikki’s back. Neither or the animals woke, and neither of their owners felt inclined to make them move.

“Yeah,” the designer agreed softly instead, smiling fondly down at the two. She hadn’t really had much interaction with Adrien’s cat, but he seemed to think that Plagg liked her, and that was enough for her. “I was honestly worried at first. Dogs and cats don’t usually get along, after all!”

The model grinned—she saw because she couldn’t help but peek up at him from the corner of her eye—and he agreed with her.

“I was a little worried, too, but more about Plagg being an ass,” Adrien shrugged lightly and Marinette let out a small _eep_ and nearly tumbled into the blond’s lap. She caught herself by putting her hand on his thigh and sitting up quickly, finally leaning away from their comfortable position.

“S-sorry!” she managed, flushing with a shy smile, although inside she was a little mortified.

“N-no, my fault for moving so quickly!” Adrien cut across quickly, laughing a little as he lightly placed his hand on top of hers where it still rested on his thigh. She caught the light pink dusting his cheeks but pretended not to notice because it would only make her heart pound more furiously in her chest.

She didn’t make to move and he didn’t immediately take his hand away.

“P-Plagg’s not an _ass_ ,” Marinette finally found her voice. “Why were you worried about him?”

Adrien snorted and retorted, “You don’t see him when we’re at the apartment. He likes digging his claws into my favorite pants, and he’s always getting in my way when I’m trying to do things around my apartment. I can’t count the number of times I’ve tripped over him! And he has the most insatiable appetite I’ve ever seen. What makes it worse is that if I don’t give him at least a little bit of _camembert_ , of all things, he’ll tear up my entire roll of toilet paper!”

The designer had fallen into a fit of giggles halfway through and Adrien didn’t seem to notice while he was complaining. She found it positively _adorable_ , and when he paused and looked at her, red crawling up his neck.

“S-sorry,” Mari managed, “he just seems so sweet right now..."

It wasn't actually what she'd been thinking, because truth be told she'd been thinking about Adrien and how he could still be so handsome even while gesticulating wildly and complaining about his cat, but the model bought it and groaned.

"Take my word for it, Marinette. He's a terror."

"If you say so," she shrugged lightly, not able to fully suppress her reemerging giggles.

The blond man groaned and leaned his shoulder heavily on hers, as if the weight of her disbelief was bringing him down, and declared pitifully, "I'm the only one that knows the truth!"

She brought her hand up behind him, lightly pressing her palm against the small of his back, as she leaned back into him and continued laughing at his dramatics. Marinette was increasingly grateful that she'd met this man. Despite all of his fame, the family he came from, and his reportedly strict upbringing, he was such a dork and she absolutely adored that about him.

“Sure you are, Adrien,” her voice was lilting, teasing, and still full of cheer from her laughter. If it hadn’t been for that, she was sure she would have been stuttering enough to make her words completely incoherent.

He sighed, an exaggerated sound that just made her grin widen.

 _This_ was the model she’d had a celebrity crush on since her high school years. _This_ was the mysterious man she’d met when her oversized pup had wanted to play in the rain with a stranger. This adorable, lovable drama queen was the sexy, flirtatious _Chat Noir_ that was displaying her men’s fashion on the _Ladyblog_. Marinette sometimes couldn’t believe that all of those things made up the same person, but she wouldn’t have him any other way.

Every time she got to see these sides of him, the woman fell just a little more in love.

She might never say anything to him about that. He was a friend first, and unless he dared to take their relationship a step farther, she would hold her tongue. She had only known him for a few months, after all, and she wondered if it would be moving too quickly to tell him something like that. And, even if it wasn’t, she considered the fact that they now had a professional relationship on top of their friendship. So she had made the decision to keep her heart to herself. Otherwise, she feared she might lose him.

Despite her choice, she sometimes felt as though she wore her heart on her sleeve, and it was with reluctance on both sides that, nearly an hour later, the two woke their furry friends and bid farewell as the cold began to nip at their exposed skin.

* * *

 

Adrien couldn’t wait to see Marinette again.

When he’d thoroughly embarrassed himself via text, she had just followed along and saved him the mortification of possibly ruining whatever their relationship was. But then they had met up at the park, a last minute idea of his that he honestly hadn’t expected to work, and he’d felt the connection. She was bolder than any other time they’d met up, leaning against him and teasing him, and he found that side of her incredibly attractive, never mind the fact that it was often reserved for the designer and model behind the red mask of _Ladybug_.

Seeing that more confident side of her had been endearing, even more so than seeing the shy, timid side of her when she’d modeled her skintight _Ladybug_ superhero costume— _although_ , Adrien guiltily admitted to himself, she was really _hot_ in that spandex super suit and he definitely wouldn’t mind seeing it again.

He shook himself, a heat crawling to his cheeks as he pushed the image out of his head.

No, he was excited to see her for more than just the fact that she was pretty. She also had one of the most beautiful personalities he’d ever encountered. She was genuine, kind, caring, and had a plethora of quirks. He felt like he’d only just begun to scratch the surface and he learned more every time the two interacted. The days he spent with her, whether just meeting up alone or with their best friends or for their private photoshoots, were some of the brightest moments he could remember.

Marinette was light. She was tenderness and sympathy, the gentle caress of spring and the overwhelming rush of summer, the awkwardness of new beginnings and the steadfastness of a weathered acquaintance, and he was drawn to her. Just the way she smiled, sometimes softly and sometimes all at once, like the sun as it rises in the sky, was enough to pull him in.

Sometimes he felt like meeting her was the best thing that had ever happened to him, so of course he was excited to see her again.

The blond stretched and started to get ready for his day with a grin, giving the cat sleeping on his pillow a scratch behind the ear as he headed for his bathroom. Plagg twisted and hissed softly, but he didn’t wake up and Adrien rolled his green eyes. Mari might not believe him, but Plagg was a devil cat and he would prove it to her someday.

After his shower and while he was preparing his coffee, he heard his phone chime from his bedroom. He didn’t immediately go to it, opting instead to finish brewing his coffee and pour himself a bowl of cereal. It was probably Nathalie reminding him not to get too complacent on his day off at his father’s request. It usually happened like that on his days off, so he decided not to let it get to him.

He dumped an extra creamer and two extra spoons of sugar into his coffee in spite of the text he hadn’t yet seen. He would have his coffee like he liked it and screw the consequences.

The model finished his quick breakfast around nine and decided to go check the message he’d been avoiding on the off chance that it wasn’t actually from Nathalie or someone else at the company. When he opened messaging, however, he found three new messages instead of just one. Puzzled, he opened the oldest.

_Please take care of yourself today. Eat right and make sure you’re ready for tomorrow’s shoot._

The text from Nathalie was exactly as he expected, and the man rolled his eyes. He was twenty-two years old now. He didn’t _need_ a babysitter like his father seemed to think he did.

Tossing those thoughts aside, though, Adrien moved on to the other two texts.

 _Hey, Adrien, I had a question for you!_ The first message read.

_Would you mind meeting up for lunch? I have a few designs I want to run by you, if that’s okay._

Was Marinette asking him out to lunch?

Adrien tried not to get too excited about it, because it was probably— _definitely_ —not a date, even if he wanted it to be, but he couldn’t help it. He’d be meeting her a few hours earlier than intended, and at her request, so he was ecstatic.

He quickly replied with, _Sure thing! Where do you want to meet?_

A twinge of guilt struck him when he noticed that her text had been sent nearly thirty minutes prior, but he swallowed it back. He went much longer without replying to her when he was at a photoshoot or an interview, so what was a measly half an hour? And on top of that, though he was always ready to see the designer again, it was still only just past nine in the morning. At the very least, he still had two more hours to wait.

His legs started moving of their own accord, and Adrien found himself pacing in front of his wardrobe. Could he dress up a little bit, as if it was a date? Or would that be a little too self-indulgent?

Adrien definitely did not lunge across his bed when his phone, on the other side, chimed once more.

Not at _all_.

 _That would be unsightly_ , he mused as he gathered his phone into his hands, sprawled across his bed on his stomach.

_How about the little bistro we went to last week? 11:30?_

The little bistro…oh, that one! Adrien grinned at the memory. He’d managed to snag her check as well and she wouldn’t let him hear the end of it for the next hour as they just strolled down the streets, meandering towards the site of one of his last outdoor shoots of the season. He’d caught a glimpse of the necklace he’d given her on her birthday, glinting slightly from where it rested just below her collarbone, and he’d felt a surge of _something_ —a something that was entirely more possessive than it should have been.

_Purrfect!_

He hit send without thinking, dropping the phone to his comforter and rolling to his back, grinning like a madman. Adrien’s bitterness from Nathalie’s text was completely forgotten and he was melting into his bed in total contentment.

His hand definitely didn’t dart immediately up to his phone when he felt it vibrate prior to the text tone going off.

_See you then, Alley cat!_

“Alley cat…?” he murmured to himself, puzzled, before his eyes trailed up. Adrien groaned out loud. “I did it _again_?”

Being _Chat Noir_ for Marinette’s male clothing line had many perks. He got to see her at least once or twice a week on a professional basis, when their schedules allowed, so that was definitely a good thing. Adrien was blessed with the good fortune to wear her new clothes before anyone else had even seen them—he had the job of presenting her clothes to the rest of the _world_ and while that was nerve-wracking, Adrien was a professional model and had been for almost eight years. It wasn’t anything new to him, and he loved being the face of such a great line of clothes.

It might be his guilty pleasure, but he particularly loved when she was making final adjustments on a new piece and pulled him in to fit him. The way she focused on pinning and making sure that the fabric was falling as she wished, or clinging the way she wanted, was absolutely stunning. She sometimes bit her lip, and he had to look away when she did to hide the fact that he just wanted to stare. And the way she looked with her pins sticking out of her mouth as she worked…he never thought he’d live to see the day where he found that he enjoyed designers poking and prodding at him with their needles, but now he understood that feeling. It was just so _easy_ to feel comfortable when the designer at work was the petite Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he pushed himself into a sitting position in the middle of his bed, staring at his wardrobe.

So what if it would be a little self-indulgent? Adrien genuinely liked this woman, so he’d dress up a little to meet her for lunch. He wanted to let her know that he was interested, and he didn’t care if she showed up in sweatpants and an old high school jersey.

As he climbed to his feet to look for his new outfit for the day, he wondered absentmindedly what kind of designs she wanted to run by him. Obviously it was a design for _Chat Noir_ , because it had been a while since she had asked him about a new one. She had still been going through a stock of pre-made designs that she just had to fit him for—and there had been _so many_ that he had honestly been speechless when she had opened a black wardrobe sheepishly the second time he’d been over to her apartment, showing him even more clothes than she and Alya had photographed for the blog already, sans model.

Whatever it was, it was going to be great. Marinette’s designs always were.

He’d still spend half the time until meeting her finding the perfect outfit to wear, though, even if it most definitely wasn’t a _date_ or anything of the sort.

 _Even though I want it to be_.

* * *

 

He was still early.

Adrien knew he was _way too early_ and he still slipped into the little place anyway, hat tilted low over his eyes and his traditional fake glasses perched over his eyes. He nodded to a waiter with a grin, his green eyes making the obligatory circle around the room, not expecting… _that_.

Marinette’s head was tilted down, her hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders, as she made notes along the side of a sketch she was working on. She had a few small squares of fabric beside her, and as he watched, she picked one up and laid it on the sketch, furrowing her brows and making a note, crossing out something else in the process.

It was just past eleven.

It was just past eleven, and they weren’t supposed to meet for at least another twenty minutes, and both of them had jumped the gun.

The model started to think that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for him. So he let his grin widen as he started to make his way over to her. As he walked he did his best to keep a normal gait but despite the attempt he still had a slight bounce to his step. He placed a gentle hand on the back of the only other chair at the small window table and struggled to find his voice, hitching a grin on his features.

“Is this seat taken, My Lady?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS THE STORY THAT NEVER ENDS.
> 
> I promise I didn't mean to continue. Again. But my scrubs say that you guys will all be happy that I'm continuing, so I'll just go with that.
> 
> This chapter was just shameless fluff and stuff. I promise we'll get to a bit more content in Part V!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d never quite realized how small her hands were until he had them both trapped between his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
> 
> IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE OVER 9000.

“ _Is this seat taken, My Lady_?”

Marinette gasped in spite of herself, her head snapping up to find the blond model sheepishly grinning down at her. After a few brief moments of trying to calm her racing heart, she took a deep breath and laughed.

“Sit down, you silly cat,” she waved her hand, almost dismissively, to stave off her embarrassment. She took a moment to tidy up her new mess of papers and checked the time on her phone. She’d been here early, but she didn’t think _that_ much time had passed. And then she blinked in surprise, staring at the time to make sure she read it right before turning to him incredulously and asking, “You do realize you’re still twenty minutes early?”

“I can leave again if you want me to,” he quipped back with a chuckle as he took the seat she’d already offered him.

“No, that’s not what I meant!” she gasped quickly, waving her hands. “It’s just—I just wasn’t expecting you to show up so early, is all.”

“To be fair, Mari, you showed up even earlier than _I_ did,” his tone held something…new. And then, as she glanced up to read his teasing smirk and the twinkle in his eyes, she realized that she was being exposed to _Chat Noir_ ’s persona. The flirtatious manner was there, from the way he watched her to his posture to the subtleties of where his eyes drifted when he thought she wasn’t looking.

 _Two can play at that game_ , her competitive nature bubbled up, and instead of giving a stuttering answer, the designer let her lips curl into a smirk.

“Regardless,” the word was slow, thoughtful, “I didn’t know you were _that_ excited to see me.”

Her heart was racing, but she held her expression, her posture, as firm as she could and watched as the _Chat Noir_ façade faltered in front of her. Red blossomed on his cheeks, his jaw dropped and he struggled to find something to say, and Marinette felt her heart leap into her throat.

 _Oh my God_ , her mind started reeling. _Alya was actually right?!_

“I-I’m always excited to see my Lady,” he finally found his voice, casting a wink at her to try to hide some of his blunder. His hand reached out to grasp hers from across the table and he leaned over to press a kiss to her knuckles, green eyes trained on her blue ones. “In fact, I’m _paw_ sitively ecstatic!”

Marinette stifled a groan, although she didn’t pull her hand back. Instead, she calmly quirked an eyebrow at him and asked, “Really, kitty? Is that the best you can do?”

Adrien laughed, his fingers sliding away from hers as he leaned back in his chair. His ears were red although the flush on his cheeks had faded, but she was never good at fighting down her blush. He had probably seen through her act a long time ago now.

“Ah, Miss, I see your friend has arrived. Would you like to order now?” another voice intruded upon the silence, and Mari looked up to the waiter.

She smiled warmly at him and glanced over to Adrien for his opinion. He gave a strange combination of a nod and a shrug, so she answered, “Yes, that would be great!”

Marinette quickly gave her order, and Adrien followed a little more slowly as he glanced at the menu. The waiter beamed, jotted down everything they asked for, and made his way back to the kitchen area with a casual, “We will have that for you shortly!”

“So…” Adrien spoke after the kitchen doors had swung closed behind the waiter. “There was something you wanted to ask my opinion on?”

Their earlier teasing, flirtatious interactions forgotten, or at least put aside for the moment, the designer nodded vigorously, starting to organize her papers. He could see that each page was a minute detail of something, but she was working so quickly that he couldn’t quite make out what they were all for. And then she flipped a few pages back in a sketchbook, turned it to him, and gestured at the page.

There were two designs, male and female, and they were formal attire. His interest was instantly piqued because, until now, he had only seen semi-formal and casual clothes that she had designed.

“These,” she said simply, but then elaborated. “They’re simple designs for formal wear, but there’s not much time left and I only thought of doing this earlier this week when Alya mentioned it. These are also designs I’ve had for a while, I just started to adapt a few things and changed some details. If I could get them finished on time, would you potentially want to wear the suit at the reception for the winter show?”

He blinked at her, and then leaned over to look at her designs. She watched him nervously, his trained eye flitting from one part to the next, taking it all in.

“Of _course_ ,” he finally said, and it surprised her. “If you finished these in time, you’d wear the dress too, right?”

“Y-yes,” she nodded, and then glanced away a little sheepishly. He wasn’t going to turn around and refuse now because it seemed like something that was for a couple, right? She hadn’t even thought of it that way, but now that the idea was in Marinette’s head it was hard to ignore.

“That’s great!” her eyes snapped to his cheerful, excited green ones. “These designs are great. Do you have the fabrics picked out yet?”

“I-I think I have an idea,” the dark-haired woman smiled back, sagging a little in relief as she retrieved the fabric swatches she’d been experimenting with when he walked in. She reached forward to lay a dark grey, sort of shiny piece next to the suit that would be for him and combined it with a white for the undershirt and green for the tie and embellishments. Mari then lifted a swatch of gorgeous navy blue and placed it next to the dress, along with a medium tone and then a lighter one, progressing downwards. She leaned away and looked up at him, noticing that he was already looking around the designs and trying to place where each color would be.

Before she could open her mouth to explain, Adrien opened his.

“Grey for the suit,” he mused, almost to himself. “The white is the undershirt, and I’m guessing that the green is for the linings and the pockets, as well as the front of the vest,” his finger trailed the parts that he was thinking of. “Green tie, too. And the dress…one shoulder, sleek design. The navy is good, it’ll compliment your skin and eyes really well. And fading just to a bluer sapphire near the bottom is a nice touch. And this…is this beading?” he glanced up at her then, a finger hovering over the bodice, where there was a small butterfly design, and at her nod he continued, “I’m guessing pearls? In which case, the shoes should probably be white or even silver. The belt, as well. And jewelry…silver, with sapphires or pearls, or both.”

“Exactly,” the dark-haired designer leaned over with a firm nod, pointing to the dark navy swatch and explaining, “based on the dark tone here, I figured that a pearly accent would brighten the entire design. I’ve decided on a pair of sapphire and pearl earrings I have, if I keep this current color scheme, but I’m still debating on the necklace. I have a string of pearls, but I don’t think that’s quite enough, if I wear those earrings.”

“We can take a look at the earrings later, if you want to head to your apartment a little bit early,” he suggested smoothly, not even realizing until after the words had escaped. Marinette saw the changes in his features when she glanced up at him through her lashes—he had said it casually, but as the possible implications of his words seemed to sink in, he colored slightly and cleared his throat. “You were definitely right about the way that pearls would set the design apart, though.”

“Hmmm,” she hummed in acknowledgement before asking, “and the suit? Any suggestions for it? It would be you wearing it, so I’d rather it fit your tastes too.”

“I think the design looks pretty sound, and it’s already better than the other suits I’ve worn to receptions before. Maybe I’ll be able to suggest a few things when he have the bases done, but now…”

“True,” she nodded, jotting down a quick note next to the cuffs. “And the other big question I had was this: would they be fitting for the reception of the winter show? If we wear my designs, will we be underdressed? You, in particular, can’t be underdressed because your father is one of the big sponsors _and_ you’re one of the headlining models…”

Adrien laughed, and dropped his hand to hers, curling his fingers gently around Marinette’s much smaller digits. “Marinette, they’re fantastic designs. There’s absolutely no way we could be underdressed in those! And we won’t be overdressed too, although I can guarantee you there will be one guest that is.”

An image of her old high school classmate Chloe Bourgeois popped into the designer’s head, sporting a gigantic dress that could put Princess Belle’s yellow beauty to shame, and she couldn’t hide the way snorted softly, scrambling to add, “Me too. And she’ll probably be wearing a big frilly princess dress and a tiara to match.”

“I forgot that you went to school with her.”

The simple statement shocked Marinette and she stared blankly at her companion before a laugh bubbled from her chest. It was a while before she could manage, “I forgot you were old friends with her, too!”

Shortly after that, Marinette had to quickly but carefully cram her designs away when their food came, but the two kept talking about the winter show. She asked a few tentative questions about who might be at the reception, and he knew that it wasn’t so much about making connections as it was about knowing how to conduct herself in their presence.

“Obviously your father will be there,” she seemed nervous when she said as much, before also shyly listing off a few other prominent designers that usually showcased some of their works at the huge fashion show.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be with you for as much of the reception as possible, so if you get nervous I’ll cover for you,” he gave her a sly wink, “After all, what kind of partner would I be if I didn’t have my Lady’s back?”

“Oh hush, you,” she waved her hand at him, but he could see that she was suppressing a smile. It was good enough for him, and he was perfectly satisfied to sip on his drink while she finished her food, occasionally jotting down an idea in the notebook she had kept on the table beside her. He saw a few small sketches of parts of the formal clothes she was in the midst of designing, and smiled softly to himself.

There was nothing he wouldn’t give up for the moments like this, where he could just silently observe her at work. He enjoyed the adorable way she crinkled her nose when she didn’t like something she’d previously designed and that determined glint in her eyes as she set to correcting it. And he absolutely loved how distracted she was when she was designing, because he managed to pay the full tab for the two of them _again_ without her so much as batting an eyelash. Well, until she found out and tried to pay him back.

He pretended he hadn’t been staring when she blinked and looked up with a soft gasp.

“Oh, gosh, you must be bored! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize—“

“I’m fine, Mari!” Adrien was quick to supply, reaching across the table to grasp one of her flailing hands. “I promise! This is infinitely better than sitting alone in my apartment all day hoping that Plagg actually wants to be sociable for once!”

At this she just laughed and responded, “I’m sure you’re overreacting! He seems like a perfectly agreeable cat!”

The blond just gave her a look and the dark-haired woman grinned back in a sly way that he knew was meant to tease. It was one he usually saw when she was wearing a mask, and he felt the bottom of his stomach drop out temporarily.

“Agreeable to you and Tikki,” he managed to quip back.

He had forgotten her hand in his until she slowly pulled it away because it was her right hand and she was still grasping her pen in it. She smiled almost apologetically at him and turned to take a note by a small sketch of what looked like cuffs, and he tried to cover his own surprise with a grin, a little too _Chat Noir_ for his taste to hide his blunder, and he pulled his hand back.

“Well, if you want to see those earrings and the material I’ve started pinning for the two, we could head back to my apartment,” she offered, tucking her pen in the book and closing it. “If you wouldn’t mind me working on it some, that is. You don’t have to come. We can just meet up again at two, like originally planned.”

“If you’re inviting me, I’ll gladly come over,” Adrien chuckled. “Like I said, it’s not like I have much to do at home for the next two hours.”

“You could work on bonding with Plagg,” the mischievous twinkle in her eye made him snort as he reached for his discarded hat. “With the way you talk, it sounds like you could really use some bonding time with him.”

And then she winked. Of all the things she could have done, the designer winked at him, and Adrien felt his heart take a swan dive into his stomach—in a good way.

“You’ll just have to help me with him sometime then, if you’re so concerned, Princess,” he replied, almost automatically and almost entirely in the persona he’d developed when modelling her _Chat Noir_ line. He felt one corner of his lips curl up in a lopsided grin. It was completely unintentional, but the light pink that kissed her cheeks then was entirely worth his momentary lack of composure.

“And handle two _Chat Noirs_? What did I do to deserve that?” she managed back, grinning, albeit a little nervously, as she finished tucking her things into the tote bag at her side that was serving as her purse for the day. “Now we need the ticket…”

“Already paid,” he cut in before she could call the waiter over.

He pointedly ignored her when she gasped again and hissed, “ _You didn’t!_ ”

“Anyway, you said you’d picked out some earrings?” he tried, pulling his scarf back on—the scarf that she’d made several years ago for one of his father’s contests—as she stared blankly at him in indignation.

“ _Adrieeeeen!_ ” she whined then, and it sent a shiver up his spine. “What did I tell you last time you did that?”

“Last time I did what?” he turned to her, blinking innocently, and she pouted in a way that was too cute for any grown woman. It should have been illegal for Marinette Dupain-Cheng, at 22, to make that kind of face. But there it was, positively precious and positively ruining Adrien’s resolve to wait for her to show more interest.

“You know very well what you’ve done,” she huffed, adjusting her scarf and tugging her hat lightly into a better position. She was looking adorable in the obviously _Ladybug_ themed winter gear, even when she was glaring at him. She hitched her bag onto her shoulder and frowned at him, adding, “You know you can’t run from it forever. How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing,” he responded, grinning down at her.

“Not acceptable,” she retorted, nudging him in the hip with her elbow as she stepped up to him and they made their way out of the establishment. “How much?”

“You’ve already made me a hundred things to wear,” he responded, plucking at the scarf he wore. Not to mention the hat, which had actually been sent to him as an apology for the allergies caused by the pigeon feather hat he’d had to wear for a photoshoot in high school. “I think all of my gratitude is overdue. It’s been gaining interest all these years!”

“Those were for _contests_ ,” she groaned, “I got paid for the ones that I won! You can’t use that excuse to pay for my food behind my back!”

“It wasn’t behind your back,” Adrien defended, “it was right in front of you!”

She groaned, elbowing him softly in the side. He couldn’t help but chuckle and, feeling particularly bold, he held his arm out without a word.

Marinette looked at it, looked up to him as he watched her, and slowly, averting her eyes as her face started to blossom red, she reached up to slide her arm into his. With her hand tucked in the crook of his elbow, he had the excuse to pull a little closer to her side, and he smiled down at her. She didn’t see because she was still too busy hiding her face, but he figured that it was probably a good thing she wasn’t looking. His face would probably betray everything, and he didn’t want to scare her off before anything had begun.

“F-fine,” she murmured, and he barely heard it. “Thanks for the food. _Again_.”

He laughed with his victory, leaning into her slightly. She pushed back and his smile only grew wider as they meandered down the street, making their way towards her nearby apartment at a leisurely pace. Adrien reached up to pull his hat a little lower on his head with his free hand, angling it down over his eyes just slightly, and then dropped his hand to cover hers on his arm, just briefly. The awkward limb then found its way to his pocket, but her other hand came up to wrap lightly around his arm, just above the hand that was already there.

Adrien had never been happier that he had offered his arm to a beautiful woman and that she had taken it. There was just something about Marinette that made him lose all sense of rational thought, and he just hoped she hadn’t seen it yet.

But, if he could take some of her actions and apply them to some of the things that Nino had hinted at, he felt like he was getting closer to her.

And so they walked like that, beginning in comfortable silence, to Marinette’s apartment building. She occasionally scolded him for paying for her again, and he’d come up with another item that she’d made for his father’s contests that he’d been allowed to keep. The designer continued to protest that those didn’t count as things she’d given him specifically and he would reply that they did, because they were made with the knowledge that Gabriel Agreste’s son would be doing the modelling for the winning pieces.

And then they were slipping into the building, laughing at a particularly horrible pun that even Marinette couldn’t keep a straight face for. She was holding his arm more tightly than before, and he had absolutely no complaints. Her face was flushed lightly from the cold and from her laughter, and he knew his must be the same.

He kind of hoped there was a little more to that color on her cheeks still…and that it was due to his presence.

“I tell you, _Chat Noir_ is basically the real me!” Adrien found himself insisting with a very convincing, catlike grin. He didn’t even remember how they’d started the topic. He just knew that he didn’t want to lose. “That means that _Ladybug_ is totally you!”

“No way!” she laughed, shaking her head as she pressed the elevator button, still grasping his arm. “The only reason I have the confidence to _do_ half of what I do for the blog is because I’m wearing a mask the whole time! Can you imagine _me_ , little ol’ Marinette Dupain-Cheng, standing in front of a camera and posing like that? Or, heaven forbid, modelling _in general_? It’s completely laughable!”

“I think it’s completely possible,” he argued, squeezing her arms closer to his side where they were still linked around his. “It’s still you under that mask, you know!”

She still shook her head, “No, no, no! I couldn’t possibly!”

“If I can find a way to get you into one of my photoshoots, you have to try!” he teased stubbornly as they clambered onto the elevator when it arrived and he reached forward to punch the floor button. “I think you can do it.”

“I doubt they’d let you bring me in,” she snorted, “I’m a nobody! I’d be surprised if they let me within ten feet of you while you were shooting!”

He leaned down a little, so that he was whispering in her ear, and asked, “So, if I got you in, you’d try to model, right? For me?”

She squeaked and jumped a little away, though she kept her hand where it had been for at least fifteen minutes now. She flushed a deep red across her face, and he saw it creeping up the parts of her neck and ears that he could see. Adrien was far more pleased with himself than he should have been, and straightened.

“Well?” he asked, a lilt in his tone that was entirely self-satisfaction.

“F-fine!” she forced out, and then laughed. “That is, _if_ you could convince them, I would give it a try. But it’ll be _years_ before anyone would believe I could do it!”

“I’ll take that as a challenge,” he smirked as the elevator dinged their arrival to her floor, and the duo slipped out, bickering playfully over his new plan. Marinette didn’t see the appeal of her being a model—but that was fine. If he was the only one who could read in the way she walked, the posture she held, that she was perfect for it, that was fine with him. But he knew he could make others see it, too, if she wanted to take the chance.

But then her hand was finally slipping from the crook of his elbow as she fumbled for her keys, and he was immediately missing her touch. He almost slipped forward and put his hand in the small of her back before he realized that he didn’t have the authority to do so.

It’s not like he was her _boyfriend_.

No matter how much he wanted to be.

* * *

 

Marinette’s head was spinning. Somehow, if possible, Adrien was being _flirtatious_. The model, Adrien Agreste, was flirting with her. _Her_ , Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the baker’s daughter, assistant, and self-proclaimed fashion designer, and currently a girl that was madly in love with him—as Alya loved to put it.

But the dizzying giddiness she felt when she linked her arms with his, the entire walk back from where they had eaten lunch together, had her on cloud nine. The playful exchanges, his insistence that she would make a good model, the plea that, if he could get her a chance she should do it _for him_ …everything Adrien was doing today had her smiling. Even when he sneakily paid the check behind her back, again, and bought her food too.

And now she had let go to unlock her door, and she was regretting it.

She didn’t have any right. It wasn’t like they were _dating_.

It didn’t matter that she _wanted_ to be. Not at _all_.

“Want something to drink?” she asked as she pushed the door open. And then she let out an, “ _Oof_!” as an extremely large canine barreled into her middle, knocking her back a step and right into the blond model she’d just detached herself from.

“Whoa!” Adrien’s voice came, and she felt him reach out to help stead her as he barely maintained his own balance. The places where his hands gripped her arms felt like they were on fire. “You alright?”

“F-fine,” the designer found her voice, lurching back to her own feet with his assistance as she corralled Tikki back into her apartment. “Yes, Tikki, I’m happy to see you, too, but could you please not tackle people when they come in the door?”

She scratched behind the Newfoundland’s black ears with a gentle grin. She just couldn’t stay mad at Tikki for anything when the overgrown pup started wagging her tail enthusiastically like that. And then the dog’s blue eyes widened and she sniffed before letting out an excited, soft bark and nudging Marinette aside to shove her nose against the stomach of the blond model. She heard his breath leave in a rush much like hers and she giggled as she slipped past her dog and into her apartment.

“I’m happy to see you again too,” Adrien chuckled at the dog, and a glance back at him showed that he was using both hands to ruffle her fur while carefully maneuvering to close the door behind himself.

Mari grinned to herself as she shrugged out of her jacket, haphazardly discarding it on the chair near the door as she repeated the action with her hat and scarf. She slipped over to the kitchenette then to busy herself with making a pot of coffee. She was partial to tea, but she’d stayed up for much of the night working on the formal designs and she knew she’d want the boost later.

Just as the pot started running, she heard a soft exclamation and a _thump_ , and she spun to see Adrien laying on the floor, laughing, as Tikki sprawled across his chest, leaning up to lick his chin. He wrapped his arms around her, petting her at the same time, and she made a soft noise of content, wagging her tail happily. In that moment, the dark-haired woman grinned and pulled out her phone, preparing to snap a picture as quickly as possible.

The picture immediately became her wallpaper, and she was immensely pleased with the moment captured. Tikki had just started to lick his chin again, and the blond model had tossed his head back, face full of laughter and hair in disarray and his fake glasses knocked askew.

It was one of the best pictures she had _ever_ taken. Alya was the photographer, after all, not Marinette.

“Aren’t you—haha!—going to save me?!” he whined as she clicked save on her new background. She looked to find him looking innocently at her with his wide, green eyes, but he couldn’t hold his serious expression when Tikki leaned forward to lick his cheek instead. “Tikki, no!” he protested dramatically, but she could tell by the grin he wore that he wasn’t actually upset.

“Fine,” she sighed, equally as dramatically as he was being, “Tikki, off!”

The Newfoundland looked up at her with wide eyes, then whined softly as she sprawled across Adrien’s chest. She dropped her snout to her paws and looked imploringly at Mari, and the woman almost wanted to just let her stay there.

“Come here, girl,” the designer said instead, kneeling and holding her arms out. With a happy huff, the giant dog pushed herself roughly up with her paws on the blond’s chest, the breath leaving the man’s lungs in a rush as she catapulted over him to slam into her owners open arms, licking her chin and her cheeks and her nose. “Thatta girl, Tikki. Now we have a little bit of work to do, but we’ll play with you some more later, okay?”

She sat back on her heels and bopped the canine on the nose. Tikki nuzzled against her neck for a moment and then sat back as well. Marinette gave the big black dog a good scratch on the neck before pushing to her feet and straightening her clothes. A glance showed that Adrien had righted himself and finally removed his coat, scarf, hat, and fake glasses, discarding them with her gear on the chair by the door.

“To the studio?” she asked, and he looked up from tucking the glasses in one of his coat pockets and smiled.

“To the studio!” he agreed.

Mari turned and he started to follow as Tikki went to flop on the rug by the sofa, chewing at a dog bone she’d left there.

“It’s a little bit of a mess, since I was working in here last night,” Marinette warned, pushing open the door and slipping into her studio ahead of her blond companion. “The earrings are over on my worktable in their box, right by where I’ve started to lay out the fabric for the dress.”

“How late were you working last night?” he asked slowly, and she felt her ears flush a little.

“N-not _too_ late,” she responded, a little too guiltily.

“How much did you _sleep_ last night?” Adrien rephrased, and he was standing right next to her, green eyes boring into her. She cringed a little and actually had to think about the time.

“Um…” she squeaked in a small voice, glancing up at him through her lashes and murmuring, “about four hours?”

He sighed and ran a hand through his already messy hair. Then he just grinned at her and remarked, “Well, that explains the coffee you started. Usually you’d rather have a nice cup of tea, but while I was under attack, you started coffee.”

“You were not under _attack_ , you silly cat,” she quipped before she could catch herself. She tried to recover, “B-besides, I like coffee every now and then…?”

“Sure,” he arched a golden eyebrow, and she groaned.

“Fine, I need the caffeine. But you wanted to look at the earrings and the dress, so just _look_ at them before I change my mind!”

Adrien laughed at the way she was flailing around, and she flushed again. She really needed to work on that around him, because she’d never keep her budding feelings for him to herself if she couldn’t keep her blushes in check. Although she couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she purposely let more of her feelings show, since she was slowly becoming convinced that Alya had been right about his feelings.

“Let’s see, then,” his hand fell on her shoulder as he leaned over her slightly. She hadn’t even noticed they’d reached her worktable, but she reached for the jewelry box anyway, opening it to reveal the earrings she’d picked. Small pearls adorned the studs, and dangling from delicate silver chains on each were sapphires in the shape of teardrops.

Marinette then stepped over to her mannequin, silently regretting the way his hand had slipped from her shoulder with her movements, and started to mess with the fabric. She had the base for the torso pinned and ready to be sewn, but the rest was still just a rough idea of how the skirt would be crafted. As Adrien stepped up to compare the earrings to the fabric, she reached for a drawer and pulled out box containing her beading tools and lifted a few pearlescent ones from the box to hold them against the bodice. She took a few pins and used the four beads to mark where the points of the design would be.

“The earrings will go really well with this,” he mused, holding it up next to the beads she was pinning. “I think you made the right choice. I also think you’re right about just wearing a pearl necklace—it wouldn’t work. I think something with a silver chain might do, but I feel like it should have sapphire, too…”

She could see the gears turning in his head and she nodded to his words.

“I was thinking the same thing,” she agreed, her hands already busy with adjusting another part of the dress. She retrieved a few more pins, placing them carefully between her lips as she skirted around the mannequin and began to pin parts. It was harder to speak around the metal in her mouth, but she continued, “I just don’t really have many necklaces that would suit it. I mean, I don’t really have many necklaces anyway. I’d _love_ to wear this one, but it just wouldn’t fit. Ladybugs just don’t really go with this color.”

It was only a few seconds before she realized that the necklace she was wearing, her current favorite necklace, was the one he’d given her on her birthday. She felt the heat rising in her face again and tried to focus more on pinning than on what she’d said.

His laugh rang out, and he agreed, “You’re right. I’m sure we could figure out something that would work, though…”

His voice trailed off, and the designer finally dared a peek at him around the mannequin. He placed the box with the earrings back on her worktable and lifted a hand to his chin. He looked rather deep in thought, and she found it endearing.

“It’s not too big of a deal,” she found herself saying with a shrug, pinning a little near the hip. “If I don’t find a necklace to go with it, it should be fine. The beaded design on the bodice should draw enough attention there, so even if I was wearing a necklace it would need to be pretty simple.”

She glanced to see him nodding, and he turned to her and smiled a sort of mischievous smile that she didn’t trust.

“You’re completely right,” were the words that came out of his mouth, but as he turned to watch as she continued pinning, she couldn’t get the brief grin he’d worn out of her head. She didn’t trust that look, but she wasn’t entirely sure why. “Oh, is this the suit?”

“Mhmmm,” she hummed the affirmative, her eyes flicking to the mannequin that held the jacket and pants she’d been working on simultaneously. “The vest is actually on my bed because I was working on it last night,” she told him absentmindedly. “It’s almost done, but I wanted your opinion before I finished and moved on.”

“So…did you _really_ get four hours of sleep, or did you sit in your bed sewing the entire time?”

His tone was a mix of disapproval and teasing, and she groaned.

“I really got four hours of sleep,” she assured him, slipping the last pin from her mouth and making a quick adjustment to the dress in front of her. “I started to get tired pretty soon after switching to my bed, so I didn’t stay up much after I went in there.”

She left out the dreams that may or may not have woken her up or the images of him that had kept her awake a while after she had curled up under the covers.

“I guess I’ll take your word for it,” he sighed dramatically and she chuckled, reaching for her pins and slipping over to the suit. Her shoulder brushed his arm lightly on the way and she fought against the urge to pause there and ask him more questions on his opinion, just to stay closer to him.

“I’ve actually got these sleeves sewn on,” Marinette said as she worked on pinning what would become the cuff. “If you’d like to try it on so I can make a few adjustments, I wouldn’t be opposed.”

She wondered if he caught the hopeful twinkle in her eye, because he agreed easily and she slipped the jacket off the mannequin to help him carefully slide it on and avoid all of her pins. And then he smiled, holding his arms out for her to walk a circle around him as they’d done a few times before. He held still when she ducked forward to pin something, and she was thankful for that. When she had used Nino to help her with this part, he had wriggled and danced away from her pins more than once.

“Is anything uncomfortable so far?” she asked as she messed with one sleeve, shifting it slightly and adjusting the pins on the cuff. “Anything feel too tight?”

“No, it feels fine so far,” he moved the arm she wasn’t messing with, bending at the elbow and raising it up as carefully as possible to avoid pins. “Mobility is good, too.”

“Good,” she replied distractedly, slipping around to the front to adjust the lapels. She took a step back to look at him and nodded to herself, flattening a part before stepping back away from him again. “Alright, you can take it off now. There’s not much more I can do with you wearing it at this stage, after all. I still need to finish the cuffs and lapels, and after that I need to make sure I get the lining in. The buttons still need to be added…”

She started listing small details as she helped him to slide his arms from the sleeves. Each time her eye caught something she wanted to adjust, she added it to her internal bank of changes that needed to be made and, as soon as it was back on the mannequin, she slid a pin into the spot to mark it for later.

“Everything you make is _phenomenal_ ,” Adrien’s voice surprised her. Mari cursed herself for being in work mode so quickly and so completely. She turned to protest, but his eyes were trailing over the winter designs they would be modeling later. And it struck her then that she was considering a few changes to his and might need a few adjustments.

“T-thanks,” she managed, “um, would you mind also trying on the winter suit? There were a few adjustments I wanted to make, and it would be easier to know exactly what I needed to do if you were wearing it.”

“Of course I don’t mind!” he beamed at her and then winked. “I just told you that everything is phenomenal. I’m honored to help out when I can!”

“Thanks again!” she tried not to stutter. “Just go ahead and change into it, then, if you wouldn’t mind! I’m going to pull out those designs and find the things I wanted to tweak. And be careful—there might be a few more pins in there still.”

“No problem!” he stepped over to the winter suit and carefully took it into his arms, and then, with a grin back at her, he slipped into the attached bathroom to change. Marinette took the opportunity to do as she had said and pull out the designs, only then remembering that the designs were loosely based on the superhero concept that Alya really adored, and she groaned softly to herself.

It was hard to control the blush on a good day with Adrien in casual clothes. How was she supposed to control it when he was wearing almost skin-tight winter clothes? Not to mention that he looked damn good in black, and green accents brought out his eyes.

The door to the bathroom clicked open and she took a deep breath.

“Alright, do your worst!” he piped up cheerfully, and she turned to face him.

She was temporarily breathless. He was messing with one of the cuffs of his coat, which gave her a few seconds to ogle him. Her eyes raked from his shoes to the tips of the ears on his leather hood, and she was floored. But she had to regain her composure, and when she did she felt everything burning as she slipped over to him to make the adjustments she’d written.

It needed a tuck here, a little bit there, and no, no, _no_ , she didn’t need to stare at the way the material clung to his form because it wasn’t a part of the corrections.

“A-anything feel uncomfortable?” she asked, partially to fill the deafening silence in the room.

“Not at all, Princess,” he said easily, and she could _hear_ the smirk.

“Okay then, I’ve made all the adjustments,” she stepped back, raising her eyes to meet his twinkling green ones and doing her absolute best to keep them there. “You should be good! There’s time before the shoot, so you can change back now.”

Adrien nodded, squeezing her shoulder lightly with his hand as he made his way back to the bathroom to change again. Marinette, once the door had closed behind him, sank into her chair with a huge sigh, fanning herself with a hand and trying to force the image of him from her mind.

It would only be harder after there was photographic evidence.

She knew that for a fact, because it was the exact same dilemma she had faced when she had first completed the superhero costumes that her best friend had desperately wanted her to make. And she was sure that this image of Adrien would appear in her dreams sometime soon, as well.

The designer busied herself with a few more pins and the jacket for his suit. Somehow she fell into concentration so easily that she missed when Adrien left the bathroom and returned the winter wear to its mannequin. It was a few minutes later, when he cleared his throat from a little behind her, that she turned in surprise to see him standing at her worktable, grinning, with two steaming mugs in hand.

“I thought you’d like some of your coffee,” he supplied.

Beaming at him, pushing all of her less than professional thoughts aside quite forcefully for the time being, she stepped over to accept her cup from him.

“Great timing,” she found herself teasing as she lightly blew across the surface of the cup.

“I am pretty great, thanks,” he returned the favor, green eyes twinkling mischievously as he raised his own mug to his lips. His gaze trailed to the window and his expression brightened even more as he sat his cup down carefully before stepping closer and laughing in a light, boyish manner. “It’s _snowing_!”

Marinette sat her cup down to follow and laughed along with him. “You’re right!”

The two shared a look and, without a word, both bolted for their coats in the other room.

* * *

 

For all their rush to be outside, and Mari’s quick addition of Tikki’s leash and the excitable dog, there wasn’t much for them to do. It hadn’t been snowing long, so there wasn’t any snow on the ground for them to play in, but after a bit of deliberation the duo linked arms and headed to the park.

Adrien was incredibly happy that linking arms seemed so second nature now, even if it had only first happened that morning.

When they arrived, the Newfoundland began to pull them towards the fountain in the center of the park where they had first actually interacted. It was very quickly becoming one of Adrien’s favorite places in the entire city of Paris. It felt like his whole life had changed after playing with this wonderful young woman and her gigantic dog in this park in the rain, and he wouldn’t change anything. So the two laughed and let Tikki lead the way, Marinette drawing closer against Adrien’s side as the cold started to set in a little more, and Adrien leaned against her a little.

He had insisted on holding the leash, so both of the designer’s hands were tucked in the crook of his elbow like earlier, and he took a moment to lament that she had forgotten gloves at her apartment and he hadn’t thought about them that morning before leaving his.

But then she giggled and detached herself from his arm, stepping towards the fountain and raising her hands and face to the sky. She twirled in a slow circle as the snow lightly fell around her, and Tikki excitedly bounded over. The dark-haired woman reached down to unhook the leash, and the Newfoundland started to frolic just as playfully as she had that day, months ago, in the rain. And then Adrien couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He stuffed the leaf into his pocket and jogged forward to meet them, laughing and staring up at the sky.

Small hands grasped his and, with a sly grin, Mari started spinning in a circle. After a moment, Adrien understood and started spinning with her.

It was _miraculous_ , this moment out here in the snow with her. Adrien could feel the happiness before it bubbled up as laughter, and Marinette only laughed harder, her cheeks red from the cold and from her cheer, as they continued to spin in a circle. The blond was growing dizzy, and their footsteps were starting to falter, but neither of them cared much.

And then Tikki barged in, and with a slight shriek on Marinette’s behalf and garbled yelp from Adrien, they tumbled down in a tangle of limbs.

Somehow, Tikki ended up on Adrien’s chest again, and she cheerfully licked his nose. It was immediately freezing cold after the warmth of her tongue had left, but he couldn’t help the mirth that poured from him.

“Tikki!” he wheezed, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. It had been a long time since Adrien had laughed so hard he cried.

He felt Marinette untangling herself from his legs, breathy laughter lighting upon his ears in one of the most delightful sounds he’d ever heard, and then he felt Tikki shifting.

“C’mon, girl,” Mari breathed, laughing lightly all the while, “Get off of him. The ground’s cold and I’m sure he wants to get up. Right?”

“Please,” he managed, though he was grinning ear to ear.

When her hand reached out to help him up he took the offer. Tikki bounded around the duo cheerfully, letting out a quick bark, before shoving between them and scratching her head against Adrien’s knee.

After that, the model and designer found themselves perched on the edge of the fountain, which had been drained of water in the last few weeks to prevent damage from freezing, watching the big black dog play. After a while, Adrien noticed Marinette rubbing her hands together and blowing gently on them, and he reached out on instinct to take his hands into his own.

He’d never quite realized how small her hands were until he had them both trapped between his own.

“Adrien?” her voice was soft and he just grinned, rubbing his hands against hers to create warmth.

“I’ll be a little warmer this way,” he dismissed her concern easily enough, and she just chuckled and nodded, before slipping her hands out of his grasp and placing them on either side of his. Her fingers gripped his lightly, and he could feel the slight warmth of her hands as she gently rubbed his.

“Worry about yourself, too,” she teased lightly, then slowly retracted her hands and pushed to her feet. “It’s getting colder and closer to the shoot,” she remarked, “so we should probably head back.”

“We can have some coffee when we get there,” he added, pushing himself to his feet and pulling Tikki’s leash from his pocket, “maybe it’ll help keep you awake after the sudden change from cold to warm.”

“Oh hush, you,” Mari playfully swatted at him before calling Tikki over. When the giant black beast had bounded over, Adrien knelt to attach her leash again and gave her a good scratch behind the ear. She let out a whine when he pulled away and he chuckled, patting her on the head as he took the appropriate end of the leash in hand.

“My Lady?” he asked, scarcely thinking about it, as he held his arm out to Marinette. With a light laugh, she wrapped her arms around it and he grinned. “Shall we go?”

“Let’s,” she returned, leaning her head softly against his shoulder for just a moment before they started walking back. “There’s a spot just outside of the bakery where we can leave Tikki for just a few minutes, if you don’t mind stopping in to say hi to my parents. They wanted me to stop by today to pick up a few snacks.”

“That’s fine,” the blond smiled again. He just couldn’t stop doing it today. “I can stay outside with Tikki, if you want.”

“No, no, no!” Marinette shook her head violently. “It’s too cold out here for that. Tikki will be fine for a few minutes because of her fur, but you should come in and warm up, too!”

Adrien laughed but didn’t protest as they exited the park. They only had to cross the street to reach the bakery, and from there it was only a couple of blocks back to the apartment. The little stop to warm up would probably be good, though, considering they’d been out in the cold for almost thirty minutes by then.

“Here,” the petite woman took Tikki’s leash from him once they had crossed the street, gesturing to a hook attached to the wall just below one of the front windows of the bakery. Tikki stepped over and sat down before Marinette had even finished hooking the leash and wagged her tail contentedly, settling down comfortably. Once done, Mari gave the dog a scratch beneath the chin and motioned for Adrien to follow her inside.

“Mari!” a cheerful voice instantly cried upon the door opening. “Oh, and Adrien, too! Welcome back!”

“Thanks, Mom,” Marinette smiled brightly at the small Chinese woman.

“Thanks,” Adrien smiled kindly at the young woman’s mother, who beamed back at him.

“I would give you a hug, Mom, but we’ve been playing with Tikki, so I don’t think you want me to right now. We just dropped by to pick up whatever it is you wanted me to grab?”

“Oh, yes. Tom! Marinette’s here to pick up the package!” Sabine called to the kitchen. The shop was currently empty, so it wasn’t hard to hear Tom exclaim and drop whatever he was doing in the back.

“Coming!” his voice rang, and the dark-haired daughter laughed.

“I won’t be able to give you a hug, Dad,” she called back. “I’ve been playing with Tikki, and I don’t want you to get dog fur all over you when you’re baking!”

“Nonsense,” Tom said as he rounded the corner, a large bag in one arm. The bag was deposited on the counter and he stepped around to sweep Marinette into a bear hug, eliciting a high pitched squeak from the young woman as her toes left the ground. “I have plenty of aprons to switch to, if needed!”

Adrien couldn’t stifle the chuckle, and Tom’s attention turned to him. His eyes brightened.

“Adrien! It’s been a while, son!” the big man laughed, letting his daughter’s feet touch the ground once more as he stepped forward to clap the blond on the shoulder. “How have you been?”

“I’m been doing well, sir. And yourself?” he asked with a smile, and Tom laughed.

“Business is booming! That time of year, you know!”

The model joined in the laughter as Tom clapped him on the back again before sidling back to the counter and passing Marinette the large back he’d carried from the back.

“Dad, what’s _this_?” she asked incredulously as she took the bag from him.

“Christmas treats! Share them at the shoot this afternoon,” he beamed, looking very self-satisfied. Adrien almost started laughing again, because Tom looked very smug. The blond enjoyed watching the interactions between the father and daughter duo, because they were always sure to be entertaining.

“Christmas isn’t here yet!” she protested.

“Any time is a good time for a good Christmas snack,” he father retorted. “And now you should probably get going. Your shoot is in about twenty minutes, after all! Have fun, kids!” he grinned from Mari to Adrien, cast Adrien a wink that completely flabbergasted him, and took his apron off, tossing it in a basket near the bakery door before disappearing through it, whistling _Jingle Bells_ as he went.

“You heard him,” Sabine laughed, leaning forward to press a kiss to her daughter’s cheek. She then stepped over to do the same to Adrien, who still wasn’t quite used to such kind treatment from the parental figures in his life. “Have fun, you two!”

“Thanks,” Adrien flashed another smile.

“Yeah, thanks, Mom!” Mari kissed her mother’s cheek in return and turned to go. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Adrien nodded to the older woman, who smiled and waved as the two left. Once outside, he retrieved Tikki as Marinette shifted the bag in her arms, and he lamented that the gift from her parents was too awkward for her to carry with one arm. It meant that they couldn’t link arms the rest of the way back, and he would have been lying if he’d said he didn’t want to walk back arm in arm like they had earlier.

It was only for a few minutes, though, because then they were back in her apartment and she was slipping to the kitchen to wash her hands and start some fresh coffee. Adrien played with Tikki for a few minutes, until she wandered back to the rug near the couch and flopped down to doze off for a while. He then made his way to Mari’s kitchenette, where she had just stepped down and stretched.

“It’ll be a few minutes for the coffee,” she warned him.

“That’s fine,” he chuckled, “I’m fine for now.”

His eyes trailed to the window, where the snow was still gently falling. They watched together in silence for a few moments, standing near the island of her kitchen, before Marinette softly, shyly, spoke up.

“Um, Adrien, I wanted to say…for today, um… _thank you_.”

The last was almost a whisper, and he felt the rush of her breath against his cheek. He turned to tell her it was nothing and froze when her lips gently pressed against the corner of his mouth.

_Oh God she was going to kiss me on the cheek what have I done?_

She flushed bright red, from the tips of her ears down beneath the reaches of her shirt, but she couldn't avert her gaze, blue eyes wide and surprised. Adrien's eyes widened, but only briefly, and he tried to read what she was feeling by the look in her eyes. He failed, but he couldn’t stop himself. His hand lightly touched her shoulder and then rose to her cheek. And her breath hitched in her throat when his voice, slightly lower and much huskier than usual, asked her a tentative question.

"Marinette...can I kiss you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was supposed to be the chapter that ended it all.
> 
> Lucky for you, it's not. You must have the ladybug's luck, huh?
> 
> Remember last chapter when I said I didn't even get through half of what I had planned? Well, this is about 3/4 of the way through the plans from last chapter. So I still have a good bit to go. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> WILL ALSO BE POSTED SHORTLY ON MY TUMBLR, panda013.tumblr.com!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette wouldn’t admit it aloud, but she had a hope of catching the Adrien Agreste with his mouth hanging open. At her.
> 
> It was a wild dream, but one she couldn’t let go of just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Six periods together denotes a line break. I will go back and edit this as soon as I can, but for some reason, AO3 isn't offering me the line break button like usual? My apologies.
> 
> NOTE 2: THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE 12K I PROMISE.
> 
> NOTE 3: I hope you guys like this? And it will go up on Tumblr sometime during the day, not at 1:40AM like this.
> 
> HAPPY HOLIDAYS//MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Marinette couldn’t breathe.

The silence of her apartment was positively deafening as Adrien’s words ricocheted around her head, again and again.

_Marinette…can I kiss you?_

_…can I kiss you?_

_...kiss you?_

She had leaned against him a little more, her blue eyes locked on his green ones in surprise. There were a thousand things that she should have said, could have done, but the only thing she could do was stare at him. She wanted to say yes—oh _God_ did she want to say yes—but her breath caught in her throat at the serious, imploring look in his eyes. And then she caught the way he nervously bit his lip and her stomach lurched.

 _Adrien Agreste wanted to kiss her_.

The thought itself was enough to make her lightheaded. And when she added the fact that he was obviously antsy but sincere, Marinette’s heart dropped through her stomach.

She lifted her chin a little, her eyes searching for any signs of hesitation on the blond’s end. The designer couldn’t find anything at fault with the way his eyes seemed to bore into her, pleading and nervous and yet so calming all at once. She felt her racing heart slow its breakneck pace, and a strange sort of peace settled over her.

 _Yes or please_?

The thought flitted through her mind and she felt herself flush.

The pad of his thumb brushed lightly across her pink cheeks, and she knew that he felt the heat rising to them. There was no way he wouldn’t. Her eyelashes fluttered shyly for a moment as she leaned gently into his hand, lightly touching the back of it with the tips of her fingers.

“Yes,” she finally managed to breathe out, in a voice that was barely audible, even to her own ears, and Adrien’s eyes widened for just a moment before he started leaning in, and she could feel his breath on her face, so close to her lips, and then her eyes slid closed and she let out a soft breath, almost a sigh of relief, and then—

“ _Marinette!_ ” the sudden, insistent knocking on her door had the petite woman jumping backwards on reflex, and by the stricken, ramrod straight way that Adrien stood, the designer knew that he, too, had been caught completely unawares. “ _Mari, let me in! I have to use the bathroom!”_

With a nervous glance at Adrien, who had slumped backwards against the island, face blossoming a brilliant shade of red, Marinette forced out the words, “Coming, Alya!”

“ _Well, hurry up!”_ the insistent voice on the other side of the door whined, and the dark-haired woman cast one more look at Adrien and Tikki, who had walked over to beg for his attention. The blond model knelt down, absentmindedly petting the black canine and then burying his face in her fur.

Marinette rather wished she was Tikki. Or that she could hide her own face in the same manner that Adrien was.

Instead, she was forced to head to the door, her face burning with shame and shattered hopes, and she had never felt more cheated. When Alya found out what she had just interrupted, _if_ she ever found out, Marinette hoped that she’d regret it _for the rest of her life_. The designer certainly would regret her long moments of tongue-tied silence leading up to her redheaded best friend’s obnoxious pounding on the door.

Another few knocks, the long, “ _Marinette_!”, and then the dark-haired girl was opening the door and standing aside as the journalist bolted into the room, shedding her coat and scarf and hat haphazardly along the way, and slamming the bathroom door closed behind her.

“Sorry about her,” Nino laughed as he stepped in after. “She insisted she could make it even though we could have stopped on the way here or even in the lobby.”

Marinette just laughed awkwardly, a few little assurances tumbling out of her mouth. She wasn’t even sure what they were, though they were probably just the generic _it’s okay, that’s just how Alya is_ or something. She was still too nervous to look behind her as Nino started to take off his coat and she closed the door behind him. She did so slowly, and then she heard the moment that Nino noticed his best friend.

“Yo! Adrien! I didn’t realize you were already here!” the DJ laughed, “Oh, hey there, Tikki!”

The dark-haired woman turned to see him playing with Tikki as Adrien pushed himself to his feet, smiling, albeit awkwardly, at Nino. He finally said, “Yeah, Mari asked for a little bit of help on a few designs earlier, so I came over to help out if I could.”

 _Thank God he can keep his calm_ , she found herself breathing an internal sigh of relief.

While the nagging thought that he could already be _over_ the moment they had almost shared was positively painful, she was still thankful that at least one of them would be acting relatively normal. If he was as completely discombobulated as Marinette was, she didn’t think they’d be able to keep anything from the two nosy friends that had just entered her abode, and she didn’t particularly want them to start teasing before anything that _might_ start had actually done so.

“Would you like some coffee, Nino?” Marinette tried to take a leaf from Adrien’s book, trying to push the kiss that almost was out of her mind.

“Sure, if it’s no trouble!” Nino responded, laughing as Tikki nuzzled his chest. Adrien had stood again and was washing his hands in the kitchen sink. She had to slip past him to get to the coffee mugs—but there he was, reaching up to the cabinet to pull two mugs from the shelves and setting them on the cabinet.

“I’ll get our cups from earlier,” he informed her with a tentative grin. “I’m sure we could use some fresh coffee after our walk.”

The giggle that escaped her belied only a little of her nervousness, and she managed to find the words to agree with him. It seemed to brighten his mood, even just a little, and she let her shoulders sag in relief when he had disappeared down the hall, slipping into the studio. While he was in the room, Alya made her way back to the island, slipping into one of the barstools as Marinette placed as teaming cup of coffee in front of her.

“Thanks, Mari,” the redhead sighed in relief. “This is the perfect end to that cold walk in the snow!”

 _For you, maybe_ , the thought slipped past Marinette’s guard, and she forced herself to laugh as she shook the resentfulness away. Alya had no way of knowing what she’d interrupted, after all. It didn’t matter that the ‘perfect end’ to Marinette’s cold walk had been disrupted—she couldn’t take that out on her best friend.

“I haven’t had a text from Juleka or Nathanael yet,” she found her voice, “but I also haven’t sent them anything. Have you?”

“Yeah, Juleka said she’ll be a few minutes late because of the snow. She had to turn around for a warmer coat and her gloves,” Alya answered simply, warming her hands on the cup in front of her. “Sounds like Rose will be tagging along and wouldn’t let her keep going without more layers. Nath texted me just a few minutes before we got here and said he was on the way, so it won’t be too long before he gets here.”

It was then that Adrien appeared from her studio, carrying the two mugs over. Alya didn’t notice him until he greeted her as he stepped up into the kitchen to pour out what was left of their cold coffee from earlier and rinse out the cups. The redhead stared blankly at him, then looked at Mari, and back to the model before mouthing to Marinette, _we need to talk!_

“Hey, Adrien!” the blogger greeted back quickly after her threatening, curious glance to the dark-haired designer. “I didn’t expect you to be here so early!”

“It’s only fifteen minutes early,” Nino’s voice cut across sarcastically. “Besides, Mari asked him for help on a design and he came over early for that.”

“A design—oh, no, Mari,” recognition dawned and Alya laughed. “You really started the outfits for the winter show, didn’t you?”

“O-of course not,” the petite woman glanced away, unconvincingly. The redhead sighed with a knowing grin, Nino started laughing, and even Adrien let out a chuckle. “Hey! It was a good idea, Alya!”

“It would have been a _better_ idea if we’d thought of it much, _much_ sooner!” the redhead quipped back.

“A good idea is a good idea,” the designer shrugged, taking one of the rinsed cups from Adrien and pouring some coffee into it. “Honestly, even if you’d suggested it later, I would have probably started working on something.”

“Of course you would,” Alya stated, monotone, as she took a sip of her drink.

Adrien and Nino started to laugh, and Marinette just grinned sheepishly.

“You can see the designs and the progress when we go to the studio?” she offered quietly, with a small grin at her redheaded best friend. The other woman started laughing, carefully sitting her mug down, and then looked back up at the dark-haired woman.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she declared, and Marinette laughed lightly while the men continued chuckling in the background. The model poured himself a cup of coffee, sliding over to the island and into a stool as casually as possible. Mari did the same, taking the stool across from Alya as she blew gently across the surface of her drink.

She did her best _not_ to think about the kiss that _almost_ was, although she knew it would be a while before she could push it from her mind. At least now the flush from her cheeks had mostly dissipated and she could pass it off as just the chill of her previous walk in the park, if asked. Or at least, she hoped she could pass it off. She didn’t want to test that, though, so she refused to draw attention to it.

“Any ideas for the shoot, Alya?” Adrien asked casually as Nino stood from the floor, giving Tikki a final scratch behind the ears before heading to the sink to wash his hands. The DJ then made his way to the seat beside the redhead, snagging his mug from the opposite corner of the island as he went. And then they were gathered around the rectangular surface in the same positions as they had been on Marinette’s birthday, the same day that her secret was revealed to her newest friend and current partner. She tuned out the conversation for a few seconds to appreciate that, before Alya started grinned and leaned in to start talking.

“Well, when I saw the _Ladybug_ winter gear last time I was here, it was _super cute_ , of course,” she winked at Marinette, “and since it’s _snowing_ outside, I’d really like some pictures outside. Of course, it would be a matter of sneaking around so no one recognizes Adrien, specifically, but I think in front of the Seine would make for a great picture…and some in the park, if we can find places where the little bit of snow on the ground is untouched.”

“If we do an outdoor shoot, we’d have to call in Max and Ivan and Kim and Mylène and Alix to help, though,” Marinette interjected, furrowing her brow. “I didn’t see if they would be free today because I thought we were going to do the shoot here!”

“We can always ask. If they can’t make it immediately, we can do part of the shoot here and then wrap up outside,” Alya waved off the concern. “And if they can’t even do it today, we can do a full shoot and find a time when everyone can meet for the outdoor one some other time!”

“Alya—“

There was a knock at the door and Nino hopped to his feet.

“It’s probably Nath,” he offered, grinning at the others. “I’ll get it, you guys start sending the texts!”

Marinette groaned, but slid out her phone anyway and started to type out a group message. It had been a while since they had done an outdoor shoot, so she wouldn’t have been surprised if everyone was busy. Saturdays were usually when she did shoots, even outdoor ones, but after three months without one it would be understandable if they had gotten lax in scheduling around them. They also didn’t usually get the request the day of a shoot.

_Hey, everyone! It’s been a while! Anyway, we were wondering if you would be free this afternoon for an outdoor shoot. My current designs are winter wear, and Alya is convinced that an outside shoot in this snow would be the best thing. I’m sorry for the late request! Just let me know ASAP if you’ll be able to make it or not, and when. Thanks!_

She sent the message to the group at large and then looked up to see Tikki greeting a familiar redheaded man at the door. He laughed at her and patted her gently as Nino stepped aside and let Nathanael pass him. The DJ closed the door after the artist, who turned towards the kitchen.

“Hey, Nath!” Alya called, beaming and waving as he carefully resettled what he was carrying to wave. Marinette grinned at him and waved back as Alya continued, “Are those the backdrops?”

“Y-yeah,” he managed as Nino reached out to take them from him so he could take his coat off. “Winter themed, just like Mari asked for.”

“Thanks so much, Nath!” Marinette smiled as she slid off the stool and slipped her phone into her pocket. “While we wait for answers from everyone, why don’t we go put them up to see how they look?”

“Answers from everyone?” the redhead inquired.

“We’re trying to put together a last minute outdoor portion for this shoot,” Nino explained with a teasing roll of his eyes. “Alya’s idea, of course, since she likes to make things difficult.”

“I resent that!” the blogger declared, taking one long, last drink of her coffee before making her way to her feet. “I do _not_ like making things difficult. I just like for everything to do with my best friend’s fabulous clothes is presented _perfectly_.”

Mari pointedly rolled her eyes at her best friend, then she noticed Adrien awkwardly standing and realized that he had yet to meet Nathanael.

“Oh! Nath, this is Adrien, our _Chat Noir_ ,” Marinette quickly pointed between them, “and Adrien, this is Nathanael. He does a lot of the backdrops in my studio, and also a lot of the logos for the _Ladyblog_.”

“It’s _Adrien Agreste_ ,” the artist managed, his ponytail slipping backwards over his shoulder as he stared at the blond man. Adrien was walking over to shake hands, and Nath was staring at him. “The actual model Adrien Agreste. How did we manage to get him on board?” he glanced from Nino to Alya to Marinette in utter confusion as Adrien offered his hand. They shook, although the redhead was still looking completely gobsmacked.

“Tikki made a new friend at the park in the rain one day,” Alya supplied with a snort. “That new friend just so happened to be a famous model who came up to us while we were babysitting one day and offered cookies and played with Tikki.”

Adrien winced, “That makes me sound really creepy.”

The group, even Nathanael, started to laugh, and the redhead managed, “Wow. Just… _wow_.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Nathanael,” Adrien offered, grinning in a charming, comforting way. Marinette particularly loved that grin—not that she would ever, _ever_ tell anyone that. She’d been put through enough when she mentioned that his _Chat Noir_ smirk was kind of adorable to Alya one day.

“N-nice to meet you, too!” Nath replied quickly, grinning widely at the blond. He brushed his red bangs from his face, and his single piercing glittered briefly before his hair settled over it once more. The designer was always surprised when she saw his earring, despite the fact that he’d had it for a couple of years now. And it was nothing compared to the floral ink sleeves she would be seeing if he hadn’t been wearing a jacket underneath his coat.

The shy artist from the back of her class had certainly learned how to express himself more, but she could still see the soft, timid glances he cast her way when he thought she was occupied, and they made her stomach twist in guilt.

“Slowpokes!” Alya joked then, and Mari turned to find that she and Nino had made their way to the studio door and were waiting on the other three. She made a point of rolling her eyes at Alya.

“We’ve got time,” Nino nudged the redheaded woman with a grin. She just tried to stamp on his foot indignantly, but he knew her too well and slid his foot away from her searching heel. “I’m sure they’re as awesome as always, Nath!”

The artist laughed, reaching his free hand to rub the back of his head. “Thanks, Nino! I just hope they work out!”

“I’m sure they will!” the blogger led the way into the room, going immediately to the corner where the shoots were held. Marinette stepped over immediately to help her carefully remove the last backdrop, another of Nath’s amazing paintings, while Nino gestured for Adrien to help him with another piece of it.

Nathanael’s backdrops usually came in two pieces, sometimes three, and always fit together seamlessly where they met in the corner, or corners, of the room. Mari had yet to figure out his secret, but they were absolutely fantastic so she had no complaints.

As she and the others carefully started to roll the backdrops they’d taken down, Nathanael had set to unrolling the new ones in the center of the room. The designer made the mistake of glancing over and she gasped softly, which attracted Alya’s attention. When the redheaded writer followed her friend’s gaze, she let out a low whistle.

“Damn, Nath, you’ve outdone yourself!” her voice was barely audible, but the redheaded man looked up and grinned sheepishly when he realized that the other four were all looking. Marinette pushed herself to her feet as Alya stood beside her, and both of them looked over the images sprawled across the floor.

On one of the canvases, he had painted the image of a window, with snow falling and the blurred Eiffel Tower in the distance. There were dim lights adorning the indistinct buildings and even the glow of headlights and street lamps down below. The window sill was plain, but tacked to it he had painted two stockings—one green, with a black paw print and the careful lettering _Chat Noir_ , and the other red with black dots that bore the name _Ladybug_. The other canvas showed a gorgeously rendered Christmas tree, decked in tinsel and lights and ornaments, and a pile of presents beneath the tree.

“I actually have another winter backdrop,” he mentioned with a grin. “I couldn’t carry both, though. I do have a few pictures on my phone if you want to see it, though! I’ll bring it sometime later this week, or I can go back for it sometime this afternoon if you’d like.”

“I _need_ to see these pics,” Alya and Nino both proclaimed, in unison, sharing a glance before laughing as they made their way over to the artist.

“I want to see them too!” Marinette pretended to whine as she came up to put her chin on Alya’s shoulder. Adrien, from behind her, made a noise of agreement that she couldn’t quite decipher, and she felt his hand lightly rest against her back as he leaned over the girls and Nino, as the tallest, to see the picture that Nathanael had just pulled up on his phone.

Nino let out a curse and a whistle, staring at the abstracted icy theme. There were parts of recognizable snowflakes, but the rest was abstracted and the dark-haired woman was floored by how it actually made her feel cold.

“It’s great!” she breathed, and then laughed when Alya dropped her shoulder to get Mari’s chin off of it. “What gave you the idea for two?”

“Well,” he closed the image and slipped his phone into his pocket, rolling up his sleeves a little. The tattoos on his arms peeked out, and the designer tried not to be surprised about it, even though it still got her every time. “At first, I didn’t know exactly what you meant by making _winter themed_ backdrops, so I went to a Christmas theme for the first one. And then I decided that something that just seemed _cold_ would work, too, so I started making an abstract painting by thinking of ice and snow and it just kind of happened?”

Adrien laughed a little, and then everyone else kind of chuckled too as the blond composed himself and told Nath, “Well, for something that _just happened_ , it looks amazing!”

“Thanks!” the artist beamed at the model, and Marinette grinned to herself. She had been a little worried when Nathanael had first freaked out about Adrien, but now it seemed like they would get along pretty well. She was actually quite relieved about that.

She hoped that her high school friend wouldn’t be upset when he found out about her feelings for the model, though. They had attended a few events together in school, after all, and while it never led to anything she knew that his feelings had been stronger than hers and, according to Alya, they still hadn’t completely disappeared.

A chime sounded from Marinette’s pocket then, and while the model and the artist continued to interact, Nino joining, the designer pulled out her cell phone. Alya stepped away from the men and leaned over her shoulder to see who had answered the mass text that Mari had sent out, and when the message opened both women saw that it was from Mylène.

_Ivan and I are free! We can have the van there by 2:30p!_

“Ivan and Mylène are a go!” Alya whooped, and the other three occupants of the studio looked over at her. “Now we have to at least get Kim and we should be good. Of course it would be great if some of the others could come, too—“

The journalist stopped speaking when another chime sounded from Mari’s phone, and she lunged to hang over the dark-haired woman’s shoulder once again. Marinette laughed and rolled her shoulder to get Alya to stand like a proper adult, and then she opened the new message.

_Yo. B there by 215_

The quick text from Kim, so soon after Alya had expressed that he was the only other one they really _needed_ , made the redheaded woman laugh as she informed the other three of the news.

“I’m also free to help if you need it,” Nathanael offered as he and Nino went to pick up one of the backdrop panels. Marinette went over to the other, slipping her phone back into her pocket as Alya clicked out a text to Kim and Mylène to thank them for replying so soon. When the designer reached to pick up the other piece of the backdrop, she found Adrien carefully lifting the other side with a grin at her.

It was one of his usual grins, and she couldn’t help grinning back.

……

By three in the afternoon, the van brought by Ivan and Mylène had all of the necessary items for a photoshoot loaded in, and the snow showed no signs of letting up. Alya was positively ecstatic about this as she handed a few masks through the window of the small car behind them and passed the remaining ones out to those in the van as she clambered into the back with Nino and Max to keep an eye on the equipment.

The masks were a staple of any outdoor shoot. They even had a roll of ladybug print plastic to secure lightly over the license plates when they started to unload the equipment, so that no one could track Marinette through her friends. Everyone in the crew was given some sort of mask. In the early days, they had been prototypes, but the designer had since made a few distinctive ones. Alya particularly liked one that was technology-based and always claimed it herself. Nino rather liked the one that looked like bubbles, though Marinette would never understand why, and despite her fear Mylène would always choose a monster-style mask. Nath picked the most artistic, Juleka picked the darkest, Rose would pick a white mask with a dark trim and pink lace and polka dots, Alix would pick the one with the same color scheme as her favorite pair of skates, and so on.

As the masks were passed around, Adrien and Marinette squeezed into the second row of seats. They already wore the winter designs, their own masks in their hands. The front seat held the owners of the van and Nathanael, and the small car trailing them carried Kim, Alix, Juleka, and Rose. Alya’s laughter rose from the back as Nino tapped Adrien to pass the three masks up to the front seat, and he did so, handing them to Nathanael with a smile.

And then, all was ready.

Marinette was amazed that everyone had been able to show up, but now that they were on their way to one of the walkways along the Seine, she felt the excitement rising in her chest.

“We’ve only got a couple of hours of daylight left, so let’s make use of it!” Alya spoke up, grinning. And then she gasped, “And then we could take some photos with the Eiffel Tower in the background after it gets dark! It would be such a romantic shoot!”

There were a few choruses of agreement, and Mari just let herself laugh lightly to agree. She didn’t really trust herself with words, but she warmed when Adrien laughed and told the journalist that it was a great idea. And she silently let herself enjoy the possibility of a romantic photoshoot with _the_ Adrien Agreste—regardless of the fact that only their small crew would know just who was behind each mask.

The designer stayed in her own world for much of the car ride, though she had maintained enough of her professionalism to be able to answer questions directed at her, talk a little to her model partner despite the interrupted incident that she still couldn’t get out of her mind no matter how long she tried, and even to put on her mask when it came time for the set up.

Alya and Nathanael scouted for the perfect place to shoot at while Juleka and Rose came over to the van to do makeup while the modelling duo was still in the car. Rose had helped enough times that Mari was completely comfortable letting the petite woman do her makeup while keeping up a cheerful, albeit mostly one-sided, conversation. Her eyes shined brightly behind the pink frilly mask, and Marinette grinned back.

The rest of the crew quickly put up the portable lights, made sure they were stable, and remained on standby while Alya and Nino used Nath as a temporary model to see how the light would fall on a person. They made adjustments accordingly and took a few sample photos. They asked the artist for his opinion on the lights, tweaked, and did it again until all three had come to a consensus, and then they waited on makeup to finish.

By the time _Ladybug_ and _Chat Noir_ had exited the van, despite the weather, there was a small crowd of curious onlookers.

Adrien glanced at them, smirked, and gave a childish wave and a roguish wink. One group of girls, mostly likely students in high school, giggled and gaped as they whipped out their phones to take pictures. The name _Chat Noir_ passed their lips in excited murmurs, and Marinette grinned to herself. She was glad that her partner had been so well received, although it didn’t mean she wasn’t also just a little bit jealous that those girls had the courage to ogle him so openly.

 _I don’t want to ogle him!_ her mind shrieked, and she felt herself going red. She was only glad they were outdoors, because now she could pass her mortified flush off as cold.

But then Alya was demanding that Marinette get out under the lights, in the gently falling snow, and do a solo session before her shoot with Adrien, and the designer was quick to comply. If she let herself think too much about him now, she’d never be able to come off as a professional when they had to pose together.

……

Keeping himself under control was a _lot_ harder than Adrien had imagined it would be.

From the moment she had breathed a soft _yes_ to his sudden question, the model had just _known_. Nino had been right about going for it, and Adrien finally _had_ , and with such a great result. And then the knock, the furious knocking at the door and the blogger behind the _Ladyblog_ screeching that she had to use the bathroom.

Okay, Alya hadn’t really _screeched_ , but his mild annoyance wasn’t being too kind at the moment.

Somehow, though, he’d managed to bring just the right amount of professionalism into his normal attitude. It was enough to enable him to converse normally with everyone in the group, including Marinette. It had been amusing, those first twenty or thirty minutes after their interrupted kiss, to watch as the designer tried to regain control of herself.

Maybe that’s what had made easier for him to control his own emotions. For once, the cool professionalism he’d inherited from Gabriel Agreste was working in his favor, because not only had it allowed him to hide his frustration and mild embarrassment from his best friend, but it had also served as a safety net for Marinette. She slowly started to adopt some of his mannerisms—probably without even realizing it, knowing her—and finally she was calm enough to smile and laugh with him on the ride over. She had been distracted, but he didn’t blame her.

As she posed according to Alya’s directions, in the snow, Adrien watched her. His mind was wandering, but his eyes rarely strayed from the laughing woman in red and black, dancing against a backdrop of white and grey and blue.

They got a few shots of Marinette leaning over the railing, looking out across the water, and then a few of her huddled next to the rail, gloved hands raised over her face as she gave the camera a mysterious look. They took a short video of the designer walking with her hands in her pockets and her head held high, strutting down the sidewalk as if she owned that portion of the Seine—and Adrien _believed_ it, with the way she walked.

Marinette claimed she could never be a model, but she already had the basics. Even if it was just modelling her own clothes occasionally, he didn’t think he’d be able to give up trying to convince her after seeing that perfect runway walk _in the snow_ along the river.

When Alya gave her another pose to try, he saw her start to pout, and Adrien felt his cheeks warm a little and he smiled softly to himself, his mask flexing with the lift of his cheeks. Sometimes it was still amazing to see that the woman behind the mask was shy, adorable Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The way she completely changed when a photo was about to be snapped was phenomenal. She went from the timid girl to the confident woman in a heartbeat.

The blond continued to watch as Juleka stepped forward to change the way the scarf was tied and Marinette unbuttoned her heavy coat to let the ends hang loose, her gloved hands sliding casually back into the pockets once more as she stood in a relaxed stance while a few more photos were taken.

He loved seeing how _Marinette_ she was behind the mask of _Ladybug_ , he knew, but he had seen a lot more of _Ladybug_ in her everyday self in the last several hours to lead him to another realization: he adored seeing the confident, outspoken Marinette far more than the shy _Ladybug_ , although both of them were perfectly endearing in every way.

With every second he watched her, he wanted to kiss her more.

The thought embarrassed him, just a little, but he couldn’t deny that it was true. He still wasn’t entirely certain how he was hiding it, or if he even was, but he wouldn’t complain. It would have been hard to explain the way his eyes were following her every move or the way his stomach dropped out when she gave a sly look to the camera. The strong surge in his gut, a mixture of jealousy that those looks didn’t belong solely to him, and the possessive urge to make _sure_ they only belonged to him, was overwhelming.

“She seems a lot more confident,” a small voice piped up, and Adrien jumped to look at the short blonde woman next to him. Rose beamed up at him from behind her pink, frilly mas and added, “You guys make a great team! I’m so happy you joined up. She’s usually so much stiffer when they do outdoor shoots, although you’d never really know by looking at the pictures.”

“R-really?” his shock at being spoken to hadn’t gone away completely, apparently, but she just giggled.

“Really! And you guys complement each other so well!” she bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. “When I got the text from Juli to check the blog in the morning, I didn’t know what to expect! But then I saw that we finally had a _Chat Noir_ , and that he seemed to fit the image perfectly, and I couldn’t wait to meet you!”

“Thank you?” the model said slowly, unsure, and she beamed.

“It’s nice to meet you!” she held out her hand. Rose was a very energetic person, and he couldn’t help but laugh as he reached down to shake her hand.

“Enchanté,” he lowered his head with a wink and a smile, and she giggled again.

“I’m still surprised that we got _you_ , though,” Rose looked back towards where Marinette was striking a new pose, and his eyes followed. “How did you guys meet? Did she seek you out after the interview when you said you’d like to…?”

Adrien chuckled and shook his head, “No, we actually met in a park in the rain. She and Tikki were splashing around in puddles and playing, and Tikki came up to me and basically begged me to play with them.”

“Tikki! She’s so sly!” Rose grinned, eyes twinkling through the mask. “What happened then? Is that when she asked?”

“No, we didn’t even give our names then!” he laughed. “A few days later, right after a photoshoot was cancelled, I spotted Marinette and Tikki and Alya in a park across the street, babysitting and remembered her. So I bought a few cookies for the kids and went over, was tackled by Tikki, and was offered this job by Alya. I didn’t think she was serious, so I turned her down.”

“Really?!”

“Really!” the blond agreed, laughing. “It wasn’t until Mari’s birthday, shortly after the interview, when they invited me to her apartment, showed me the studio, and asked if I wanted to do it.”

“So you were already friends by then!” the small blonde woman squealed, bouncing in place and clapping her hands, “That’s so _cute_! And the way you can’t keep your eyes off of her—“ he nearly choked, turning to look at the sneaky little woman beside him as she smirked up at him cheekily, “—I’d say you’d like to be more than friends by now.”

“I-what?” he tried, looking away only for his eyes to cross the dark-haired designer, dancing in the snow and laughing as Alya took pictures of it and Nino recorded a short video.

“There you go again!”

Adrien looked back to the other blonde again, flushing beneath his mask, and she just smiled teasingly back up at him. He sighed but smiled back, softly, and said, “Our little secret, okay?”

“Sure thing,” her laugh was light and tinkling. “She’s quite a catch, though. Better move fast!”

And then, before he could form a coherent sentence, the small woman had happily flounced back to where Mylène was standing, and the woman with colorful dreadlocks just smirked and asked her a question. Rose turned back to Adrien, put a finger over her lips, and winked.

The model was positive that it was all the indication that the other woman needed, because then she winked over the top of the tiny blonde’s head and groaned inwardly. Even so, he felt his lips curling into a grin as he shook his head, his hands slipping into his pockets as his eyes once more sought the dancing woman.

Shortly after, he was called forward to his solo shoot and hitched a smirk on his face, sauntering over.

He could feel a certain dark-haired woman’s eyes on him the whole way.

……

“Okay, we should probably get some shots with both of you now!” Alya declared as Rose passed Adrien a bottle of water. He saw Marinette laughing in conversation with Max, Nathanael, Juleka, and Alix as she started to pry herself away, and he did his best to avert his eyes. His gaze met the twinkling, _knowing_ blue eyes of the petite blonde woman and he groaned.

“So I see Rose is in on our little secret, too,” an arm dropped heavily around his shoulder, and Adrien heaved a sigh as Nino laughed.

“Mylène, too,” she giggled.

“I _knew_ it,” Adrien murmured, and Nino laughed even louder as he guided Adrien back toward the set as Ivan and Kim finished rearranging a few things.  The model adopted a betrayed, whining tone and claimed, “I’m never trusting you again! You agreed it was our little secret, Rose!”

“You’re the one giving yourself away, bro,” Nino nudged him in the side, a teasing smile on his features. “Alya mentioned it to me earlier, but as a solemn upholder of the bro code, I didn’t tell her anything.”

“Which only confirmed it,” a feminine voice said, and Alya stepped up to them, smirking. “Chill, _Chat Noir_ , you’ll be fine.”

She winked and moved up to give a few corrections on the set, and everyone convened to help organize things. Max made sure that the equipment was staying dry enough in the snow, Juleka peered into Adrien’s face and quickly touched up some of his makeup while Rose did the same for Marinette. Alix zipped back and forth with towels and whatnot to make things easier for the guys adjusting and drying equipment as Myléne and Nath managed to convince a few of the onlookers to leave.

With a dry chuckle, Adrien handed his bottle off to Nino, who grinned and took a swig of it himself before tending to his camera. The model himself slipped over towards the scene for the shoot, adopting his casual, _Chat Noir_ swagger, and smirked lightly at _Ladybug_.

She cast a daring grin back, and the two prepared for a shoot as the others slipped out of the area.

They proceeded casually, from just a few side by side shots to those where they interacted. For these parts, the two got to freely interact, and he was pleasantly surprised when the first action was for _Ladybug_ to slide her arm into his, looking up and casting him a wink.

“Surprised, Kitty?” she teased softly, and he felt a rumble in his chest as he started to laugh, his chin coming to rest atop her head.

“Not at all, my Lady,” he purred back, tucking her arm tighter against his side, “this is simply _purrfect_.”

She laughed, a light sound that he very much enjoyed, as she pulled away to drag him over to the railing. At first, they stood side by side, arms linked, but then he slipped his arm free and dropped it across her shoulders.

It was a daring move, at least it felt like one to Adrien, but the woman at his side just leaned closer, and the journalist grinned and snapped her photographs.

Alya directed them a little, from having Adrien carefully guide Marinette as she walked along a bench, using his hand for support, to having them casually walk past each other and brush shoulders without even looking back. And then they were given freedom when Alya simply told them to play in the snow.

When a slushy ball of snow took _Ladybug_ in the side of the face she gasped, turned to the offending cat, and growled, “ _Chat Noir_!”

She started chasing him and he dodged expertly, laughing. At one point he slipped, sprawling, and she was able to smash two handfuls of snow in his face. He cried out a little at the cold, but then her foot slipped and she came crashing down across his lap with the cutest yelp of distress he’d ever heard.

Adrien, in the process of sitting up, immediately fell backwards into the snow once again, laughing uncontrollably, as she pushed herself up to sit beside him. Marinette’s distressed groan made him laugh harder. After a few minutes, though, the woman in the ladybug themed mask groaned and turned to flop down into the light layer of slushy snow beside him, arms outstretched so that their hands just barely touched. And then, with a small giggle to herself, she made a sort-of snow angel in what little snow she had to work with.

Behind his mask, _Chat Noir_ grinned, but followed suit.

“This is perfect, you guys!” Alya gushed. “Now, one last set and then we’re done! I since we picked a spot across from the Eiffel Tower—“ how had he not even noticed that? “—we should get a few cute pictures, too! ‘Tis the season, after all!”

And that is how Adrien found himself dancing with Marinette in the snow, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, as the sun started to go down.

It was just so _easy_ to do this with her. He didn’t feel as if they were doing it for a photoshoot for the _Ladyblog_. It didn’t feel like they were _Ladybug_ and _Chat Noir_ , despite the masks that both of them wore. No, what it felt like, at least to the blond model, was just… _happiness_. The way she smiled, and the red on her cheeks that could be from the cold or a blush, and the squeal when he lifted her up to spin in a circle, followed by her laughter, were like the fabric of his joy.

The only things that would make it better, for him, would be the sight of his grumpy cat over on the bench and her gigantic, lovable dog frolicking around them.

And a kiss—but the flash of cameras kept him from leaning in.

“And that’s _perfect_!” the blogger practically squealed, dancing in place. “Now let’s get packed up and get out of here so we can all warm up. Once we get a chance to look through the pictures, we’ll decide if we need an indoor shoot, too, or not. That good, _Ladybug_?”

“Perfect!” Marinette managed to call back as she pulled herself, albeit reluctantly, away from her _Chat Noir_. Seeing her hesitation, Adrien’s hands followed her for a moment before he regained himself and only grasped her wrist lightly instead of her waist. The blond grinned at her in his lazy, catlike manner and raised her hand to his mouth. He ghosted his lips across her knuckles, trying to ignore the way her breath hitched in her throat, and winked up at her before straightening and releasing her hand.

After a brief pause, the designer regains herself and pulls her hand back to her chest before sliding it into her pocket, shooting him a nervous grin, and turned to help pack up. Adrien smiled to himself before heading to assist.

……

“These pictures are absolutely _perfect_ ,” Alya exclaimed, for what might have been the eighth time since she started looking through them at the computer in Marinette’s studio. It was back to just Adrien, Mari, Alya, Nino, Juleka, and Rose now, and they were all crowded over the redheaded woman’s shoulder to look.

Adrien didn’t say it out loud, but he completely agreed.

And then the roll switched to the shoot in front of the Eiffel Tower, and he felt like all the breath was being dragged from his lungs.

Even from the pictures, he could tell he’d wanted to kiss her. It didn’t help that her eyes shined like the stars in each picture before, or that he could hear her gasp softly from the spot just in front of him to the left, where she  leaned over Alya. And it certainly didn’t help that she looked perfectly kissable in every picture, either, because now it was harder and harder to make the thought go away.

He pointedly refused to look at Rose, who was probably smiling in her teasing way, and for the same reasons he avoided looking at his best friend, too. He focused on the pictures, which only continued to make him more flustered as they started to dance, and then the pictures where he had lifted her up to spin her…it was almost too much.

“These are really good pictures,” he nearly jumped at her soft voice, and his eyes were drawn to her. There was a faint red blossoming on her cheeks, and her blue eyes flicked toward him, widening when she met his gaze before turning her attention forward again.

“Right?!” Alya nearly shrieked, bouncing in the chair. “I don’t think we need to do an indoor shoot after these. We have enough that showcase the item, and showcase that you can wear them for different things, so we should be good!”

“Yeah,” Nino nodded, straightening. “I agree!”

Adrien nodded with a hum, Rose cheerfully agreed, and Juleka just nodded solemnly.

And then everyone was filing out of Marinette’s apartment. Adrien was the last in line, and although he didn’t know how he got there, he was perfectly happy to be here even just a few seconds longer. So, while Marinette bid the makeup artists a goodnight and as Nino slipped through the door, he spent the time playing with Tikki. He stood, however, as Alya started to say goodnight to Marinette and made his own way to the door to say goodbye to the dark-haired woman.

“Thanks for helping me today, Adrien!” she managed a smile as he stood in her doorway.

“Anytime,” he grinned gently down at her. His eyes flicked down the hall, following Alya’s progress and, before he could decide whether it was a bad idea or not, Adrien stepped closer to the designer for a brief second, hand sliding up to gently brush her bangs aside as he pressed his lips firmly to her forehead. When he pulled away, he stepped back and smiled at her, nervously, and offered her a simple, “Goodnight, Marinette.”

He turned and quickly slipped into the hallway before she could see the blush exploding across his cheeks.

……

For the next five days, all Marinette could think about was the way her entire body warmed when his lips pressed against her forehead and lingered there, even for a few moments. When he had left, she felt like she’d stared at him walking down the hall for hours on end, only for him to glance back to her as he reached the elevator alcove, his face a brilliant red, before he followed what sounded like Alya’s voice to clamber into an elevator. Her fingers strayed to the spot he’d kissed and remained there for several long moments as she stood in a daze.

And if she was this distracted by a kiss on the forehead, the designer desperately wondered what would have happened if they had actually kissed that day.

Would she have even been able to speak to him? Or would it have been easier to speak to him? Would she have been giddy and giggly all day, so much that Alya would have noticed? Or would she have been thoughtful and calm, wondering about his own feelings for her?

She wanted to _know._

She’d spent much of the last few days on her designs, trying to distract herself, and then she’d had this invite to lunch from Alya—oh, right!

“Earth to Marinette,” the voice jerked her out of her reverie, and the designer looked up into the journalist’s smirking face. “If I know anything about you, girl, then I guarantee I know that face. It’s the _thinking about Adrien_ face, and I want to know _everything_.”

“What’s there to know?” the designer managed with a shaky shrug. “I l-like him, and I get to talk to him a lot, and I can’t even start to figure out how to tell him that I think he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever met let alone been friends with. But you knew that.”

"I noticed that you and Adrien were a bit closer on Saturday," Alya winked across the table at Marinette. "Look at you, doing it without my help!"

Marinette spluttered on her drink of water and then just gaped at her best friend, mouth falling open in shock as she asked, squeakily, "What?"

"You," Alya poked the designer in the nose, "and Adrien," she gestured to a poster across the street at the bus stop, "were really close at the shoot on Saturday. So spill. You have to tell me everything! Even though you still say you can’t talk to him."

"N-nothing happened!" the dark-haired woman flashed back to the earnest look in his eyes, the tentative question, and groaned. "W-we met for lunch, he came over early to help me with a f-few last minute fixes and for some help with our formal designs, we went to the park to play in the snow with Tikki, and came back. Nothing."

"You're blushing too much for that to be everything!" the blogger teased. "C'mon, tell me!"

" _Nothing happened_."

"Mari, you're holding out on me!" Alya pretended to be indignant, and then continued to prod until Marinette finally cracked.

" _Fine_! We did all those things, and it was super nice, and we talked a lot, and we flirted a little, I think, and then we stopped at the bakery on the way back and he was so nervous and it was adorable and my parents gave us the snacks we had at the shoot and then we went back to the apartment and started a new pot of coffee, and then I kissed him on the cheek to thank him for everything only he turned and I almost _actually_ kissed him and then it was awkward and then he asked if he could kiss me and I said yes and then I could feel his breath on my face and I closed my eyes and then you were yelling at me to open the door!"

“Breathe!” Alya chuckled, but when she started to sort through the words, Mari saw her pale. The dark-haired woman, however, was flushing furiously as her chest heaved and she sucked in as much air as she could. Alya furrowed her brow and asked slowly, “ _Wait_ …did you kiss or didn’t you?”

“ _No_ ,” Marinette groaned, covering her face with a hand.

“Why _not_?!” Alya’s voice cracked as she tried to keep it quiet but also forceful. “He _asked_ and you said _yes_!”

“ _Because you were yelling that you needed the bathroom!_ ” the designer hissed, almost hysterically, and the blogger’s eyes widened and she sank back in her chair.

“Wait, you mean that was…and when I knocked…and… _it was my fault?_!”

Groaning, Marinette nodded, her cheeks flaming.

“Oh my _God_ , Marinette, I’m _so_ sorry!” Alya dropped her head to the table with a clang that made the dark-haired girl across from her wince. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been trying to help you this whole time, and _I’m_ the one that screwed it up!”

The redhead let out a frustrated little scream, burying her fingers in her hair, and the designer jumped at the sound. It attracted the attention of several of the others in the café, and Marinette buried her burning face in her hands as her friend continued murmuring apologies like a mantra.

“Alya…”

“… _so_ sorry, Mari!” she whined, ignoring her friend’s attempts to placate her. “You got the chance to _kiss_ him and I _ruined everything_! I should have _listened_ to Nino when he said to use the lobby bathroom if I had to go so bad! Now you’re going to hate me _forever_!”

“Alya, please just _stop_ ,” Marinette whined, and the journalist lifted her head to peer at the designer. “You were right, I think we were closer for the rest of the day, and before he left he kissed me on the forehead, so it wasn’t completely ruined…?”

“Not _completely_ ,” she conceded, though she still didn’t lift her head. “But _mostly_.”

It took a while, and much of it forcing Mari to admit that she was a little resentful and very unhappy about being interrupted, but her honesty helped to calm her friend down. Alya took a few breaths, apologized profusely once more, and took a long drink from her glass of water. Mari glanced around to the other patrons of the café, noticing that many were still casting secret glances at the entertaining duo.

“We’re closer now,” Marinette offered again, softly.

“You’re right,” Alya sighed, resting her elbow lightly on the table. “And if anything, his kissing your forehead before he left was proof enough that he had wanted to kiss you—and that he probably wanted to the entire day after I interrupted you. So now we have reasonable suspicion that _his_ feelings are the same!”

Marinette had no way of knowing that Alya had more than _reasonable suspicion_ , so she merely grinned and allowed herself to hope.

“Maybe you’re right,” she conceded, smiling softly. “It’s just too bad that his schedule’s completely booked for the next few weeks…”

“You can text him,” the redhead put her hand on the designer’s shoulder, smiling gently at her. “And besides, you guys have that nice _date_ on Christmas eve…”

“It’s not a date,” Marinette said as an instant reaction, but it didn’t have nearly as much conviction as it may have had just the previous week.

Alya smirked.

……

“Calm down, girl!” the distorted voice of Alya called through the speakers of Marinette’s computer.

“Calm down?!” Marinette nearly shrieked. “I’m going to only the _biggest fashion show of the season_ in _three hours_ , and I was invited by one of the top models in the show—no, _the_ top model— _who promised to stick with me at the after party_! What if my designs aren’t good enough? What if he’s ridiculed for it? What if—“

“Didn’t he _call_ you to tell you that it was fantastic when it was delivered?” Alya demanded. “Girl, he was practically squealing over it. It’s _fine_ , and I guarantee he’ll be just as happy to see the dress that matches. You were right to avoid sending him a picture, because now you’ll knock him dead!”

“ _Alyaaaaa!_ ” Mari whined. “I wish you were here!”

“Duty calls, my friend,” Alya grinned and winked at her, “besides, I’m _horrible_ at makeup! That’s why Rose and Juleka will be there in about thirty minutes to help you in my place!”

“ _What_?!” the designer screeched. “Alya!”

“Merry Christmas!” the blogger laughed, and Marinette just stared at the screen where her friend’s face showed and whined in the back of her throat. “Unfortunately, Mari, I must bid you adieu!”

“Have fun,” the designer knew she sounded pitiful, but she truly wished for Alya to have fun on her little ski retreat with her coworkers…and Nino, who she’d used her guest ticket on, since Marinette was otherwise occupied.

“Will do! Call me if anything juicy happens!”

And then the call was ended before Marinette could respond. The designer groaned at the fierce red that blossomed across her cheeks as she shut the laptop and looked back at the dress that still hung from the mannequin.

A surge of pride welled up, and she reached out to touch the fabric with careful hands. She smiled and took a deep breath, slipping over to the worktable where all of her accessories were carefully laid out. None of her sewing supplies were out, to keep her from deciding to change anything at the last minute, but it wasn’t sewing supplies she was concerned about.

Alya had been right when she’d mentioned that Adrien had called excitedly about the suit, but while she was on the phone she had been checking her own mail, and had a package of her own at the front desk.

She’d still been on the line when she’d opened it, laughing at his antics, but she had gasped and he’d instantly switched to the tone of worry.

And now she picked up that same box and cracked the lid again, a warmth spreading as a smile crept across her face. Somehow, seeing the gift Adrien had sent her made her a little more calm. And as she carefully extracted the necklace from the box, turning to hold it against the dress, she knew that it would match perfectly. The thin line of sapphires was a perfect complement to the beaded bodice and blue dress, and the attention that Adrien must have paid in order to see that just floored her.

She didn’t know how she’d ever pay him back for it, although he had laughed and insisted that she didn’t _have_ to, with a certain warmth in his tone that she had no idea how to place.

Marinette smiled to herself and turned to put the necklace gently beside her earrings and her clutch. Almost as soon as she had finished doing so, a knock sounded at the door, and she called, “I’m coming!” as she slipped from the studio.

Juleka and Rose stood in the door, both grinning.

“Are you ready for the ball, Cinderella?” Rose teased brightly, giggling when the designer spluttered for a moment, then blushed. The petite blonde stepped in and started pushing the dark-haired woman who owned the apartment towards the studio. “The dress is still on the mannequin, isn’t it? We’ll put you in a chair beside it so we can do your hair and makeup to match. You’ve got the accessories laid out next to it too, right?”

“Y-yes!” was all Mari had time to force out before they were reentering the studio.

“As expected,” Juleka observed as she followed, slipping her scarf and coat off and discarding them on a stool nearly as soon as they entered the studio. “Let’s get to work!”

......

“Have fun tonight!” Rose called, waving as she and Juleka stood in the apartment doorway. Marinette carefully closed the studio door behind her as she walked over to the door to bid her friends goodnight. Her modest heels clacked against her wood floor as she nervously fisted her hands in the fabric of her skirt.

“Thank you so much, guys,” she said shyly, peering back at them. “Are you sure I look fine?”

A shutter sound greeted her, and Juleka tapped out a quick message. The reply was instant nearly instantaneous, and the goth woman smiled and turned the phone around so that the designer could see the conversation.

_To Alya: mari wants to know how it looks_

_From Alya: OH MY GOD JULI YOU AND ROSE ARE GODSENDS TELL HER SHE LOOKS FANTASTIC! *SCREAMING*_

“You look fine,” she said simply, but Rose giggled.

“You look more than fine,” the blonde teased. “You look like he won’t keep his hands off of you!”

“R- _Rose!_ ” Marinette squeaked, her face burning more fiercely than it had at any other sly comment the women had offered the entire time they had been there.

“Have fun,” Juleka chuckled, and she and Rose waved as they finally turned to go.

“Thank you so much!” Marinette called after, rushing to the door to wave. “I owe you lunch!”

The taller woman raised her hand in acknowledgement, and before they had rounded the corner Marinette heard her phone’s text tone sound. She spun on her heel to get it, pulling it from the clutch she’d discarded on the chair by the door, along with the long white coat with furred hood that she’d be wearing when she went out.

_Hey, Marinette. I’ve sent my car for you! He’s ready when you are._

The text from Adrien took her breath away, and then she giggled.

 _You didn’t have to_!

She waited a few seconds, and then smiled when a new message came in.

_I wanted to. I can’t wait to see you!_

Marinette stared, an entirely new warmth seeping into her. She was a little unsure of how she should respond, but she absolutely couldn’t wait to see him, too. Especially after words like those, and the long time it had been since the day they had almost kissed.

And after a few moments’ deliberation, she decided to be honest.

_I can’t wait to see you, too!_

Before she could see his response, if one would come, she slipped her phone into her clutch and made sure that her keys, wallet, and her ticket were all inside and then she shrugged into her coat. If his driver was already outside, she wouldn’t keep him waiting.

The walk down to the car was the longest one she’d ever taken, partially because of her nerves and partially because of her heels, but the excitement that was mounting was even greater than those fears. Soon she would be in the audience of one of the greatest fashion shows of the year, within the first few rows, and then she’d be at a reception with all of the big names of the day…at Adrien’s side.

She was glad she could recognize his car at a glance, but the burly driver that gave her the barest hint of a smile and a nod of his head as he opened the door for her was a dead giveaway.

“Thanks,” she beamed at him, her cheer seeping through.

“Anytime,” he dipped his head as she slipped into the seat, and he closed the door gently after her.

When the car had pulled away from the curb, Marinette checked her phone again.

_I have to go now for prep. I’ll meet you near the entrance at the reception!_

Her heart pounded painfully, and she could no longer keep the smile from her face.

_Sounds like a plan!_

She turned her phone to silent then, sliding it back into her clutch and watching the glittering city pass by outside the windows. She still couldn’t believe that the last three weeks had gone so fast, but here she was. Tonight, she was sure, would be the best night of her entire _year_ , and not only because of the fashion show.

Marinette wouldn’t admit it aloud, but she had a hope of catching the Adrien Agreste with his mouth hanging open. At _her_.

It was a wild dream, but one she couldn’t let go of just yet.

And she spent the rest of the car ride entertaining herself with the various expressions he might make, giggling at some and blushing at others while feeling the occasional amused glance of the driver on her in the rearview mirror. But the car ride seemed so dreadfully short, and then she was greeted with the chill of the night once more as she stepped out onto the crowded walk in front of the venue.

Many of the people here were just average viewers, or people there to watch as attendees entered. Adrien’s driver led her to a line and bowed at the waist as he passed her on to the attendant at the end of the line.

“Ticket, please, ma’am,” the well-dressed man asked promptly, and Marinette fumbled briefly with her clutch before showing him. “Yes, good. Follow the line, and they will ask for your ticket again at the door.”

“Thank you,” she managed, smiling. He nodded and moved on to the elderly couple that had taken a place behind her, and Marinette took a moment to admire the façade of the venue. It was gorgeously decorated, and with a gentle snow just beginning to fall, the Christmas decorations only made the view even greater.

Almost before she knew it, Marinette found herself showing her ticket again, and an usher came to guide her to her seat. Another man took her coat, attaching a card with her name, and a glance at a clock in the entrance hall showed her that it was thirty minutes prior to the show. She felt her anticipation mounting ever higher. And then she nearly combusted when she was led to a spot just off-center in the _first row_.

She had known the ticket was good. She _had_. She just hadn’t known it was _this_ good.

She felt like she’d be paying the model back for _years_ at this rate…not that she would mind, really. It would mean that she’d still be close to him, and right now that meant everything to her. Until, of course, the show dimmed and the runway lights came on and she was ready to be _dazzled_.

Marinette tried not to let her breath be taken away as she watched the models strut down the catwalk. The women were cool and professional beauties, and the men were handsome, suave types, but she had eyes for only one in particular. And no matter how hard she tried, each time he glided onto the walkway, she felt her breath leave in a rush, only to return a few walks later, just in time for his next parade.

Casual was a good look on him. Formal was a good look on him. Semi-formal was a great look on him. Glasses looked good, slicked back hair looked _phenomenal_ , and each little _Chat Noir_ grin he tossed in her direction made her lean a little closer from her seat.

Adrien Agreste owned the runway.

While the others walked, Marinette let her designer’s eye wander, noting details that she could use later and making a mental checklist of things she should never, _ever_ try in her designs. She was awed by the fantastic designs she saw, intrigued by some of the more outlandish designs, and thrilled at the opportunity she had to be here, watching this. But when _Adrien_ walked across that stage, her eyes feasted on his physique first and foremost, and how well whatever he wore complemented it. And _then_ her eyes trailed over the details, quickly memorizing what fit him well and what didn’t as if she didn’t already _know_ those facts.

She saw a few dresses that left her breathless, a few that she thought, in the back of her mind, _I could do better_ , and a few that defied all laws of physics and left her drawing up the plans in her head, figuring out how to make them do that.

And while Marinette watched with a star-struck sense of amazement, and even if she wouldn’t remember everything immediately after the show was over, she knew she’d remember all the details she’d committed to memory. That’s how it usually worked with her, so she’d trust in her own abilities and let herself revel in the _now_ , just this once, because the feeling in the air was positively _electric_.

She gasped softly with the woman next to her when part of a train came undone, but to her credit, the model continued her walk, carefully lifting the dress and making sure that the malfunctioning piece made it backstage and wasn’t left on the runway. Then she shared a look with the older woman beside her, and the woman gave her a smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes, and Marinette had to stifle a giggle.

But, as all things do, the show came to an end with nothing more eventful than the dress with the train, and the audience erupted with whispers as VIP guests were directed to exit through the door near the front of the room on the left, and other guests were requested to leave through the rear door on the right.

Marinette stood, and was tapped lightly on the arm.

“Excuse me, miss, but I couldn’t help noticing the exquisite craftsmanship of your dress. Would you mind telling me who the designer is?”

The older woman beside her, in a nice flowing green gown of her own, was smiling at her in that same way that she had in the middle of the show, and Marinette couldn’t help smiling back. She bowed her head softly.

“Not at all, ma’am. I actually made it myself,” she offered shyly, plucking at the fabric nervously, in case the woman didn’t believe her. “My signature is my hand-stitched work, and my signature is always on every piece in some way or another. For this one, it’s in the silver thread lining the hems, and also at the top of my gloves.”

She pointed them out carefully, and the woman breathed out softly, reaching her fingers up to the stitching on the glove, “Do you mind if I look more closely?”

“Not at all!” Marinette shook her head, inwardly screaming.

After a few moments of examining the dress, and even asking Marinette to twirl once, the older woman smiled.

“Your work is beautiful. You don’t happen to have a card, do you, miss…?

“Dupain-Cheng,” Marinette supplied, reaching into her clutch. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Thank you so much, ma’am!”

“It’s nothing, dear!” the woman accepted the small business card that the dark-haired woman offered, and smiled up at her. “I remember what it’s like, just starting out. You’re unaffiliated currently, yes?”

“I am,” Marinette nodded.

“You’re the girl that wins many of Gabriel Agreste’s design contests though, surely?” she smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “I remember, a few years ago, a particularly pesky hat that Mr. Agreste adored, even though his son was allergic to it.”

Marinette flushed, “T-that was a long time ago!” she stuttered.

“Yes, but it had your signature stitching on it,” the woman winked. “I remember details, Miss Dupain-Cheng. And I’ll be sure to remember your name! If you’ll excuse me, though, I’m afraid I must catch up to my husband. He’s standing rather impatiently by the door.”

“I’m sorry for keeping you!” the designer gasped, glancing to where a man beckoned to her companion.

“It’s my doing, not yours!” the older woman laughed. She reached into her own clutch and then tucked a card into Marinette’s hand. “My card. If you need anything, or need a reference, feel free to call me, Miss Dupain-Cheng!”

“Thank you!”

The woman’s grin never left as she strode over to her husband, and Marinette watched them leave before suddenly she realized that she should be heading the same direction. Adrien would be waiting on her, at this rate, instead of the other way around!

With as much composure as she could muster, Marinette took a deep breath and walked towards the left-hand door, showing her ticket to pass through. She entered a small hall, but it was apparent that the rest of the event was in the room directly across from where she stood. She took a few steps towards it, but then slowed as a figure in a charcoal suit caught her eye.

Adrien.

His eyes widened when he caught sight of her, and then, straightening, he started towards her. She could feel the eyes of the current occupants of the hall on him, and the girl he was walking towards, but the young woman didn’t particularly care.

She nearly swooned when he stepped up beside her with a very familiar, flirtatious grin and held his arm out.

“Shall we, my Lady?”

With a smile, she took his arm.

“We shall.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a great day, everyone, and thanks so much for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He held her gently, intimately, almost as though she were fragile. If her life could possibly be any more like a romance drama, it would be in this moment. A moment that was perfect already, as the man of her dreams held her as they glided across a lacquered wood floor together, where the contented curve of his lips and the softness in his eyes made her feel like she was his everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ABORT ABORT ABORT  
> ANOTHER 12K CHAPTER APPEARS!
> 
> This one is dedicated to megamegaturtle on here, or miraculousturtle on tumblr, because she helped me with some ideas on imagery to use in a particular scene. Thanks so much, Ana!

As Marinette slid her arm under Adrien’s, her hands both lightly grasping, she grinned to herself. The stunned look she’d seen on his face for just a few moments before he’d composed himself was more than she could have asked for. She was already on cloud nine, and she’d only been in his presence for a grand total of a minute in the course of the evening.

“You look _beautiful_ , Marinette,” the voice nearly made her choke, but she managed to retain her composure as she snapped her eyes to his, her face burning. He was gazing down at her with a soft look in his eyes, a gentle, almost _loving_ grin adorning his lips.

“I-I—what?” she stumbled, staring at him blankly for a second.

He leaned a little closer and she swore she could hear her heartbeat in her ears as he repeated, “You look beautiful.”

The designer couldn’t believe her ears, and she knew her face was an ungainly red, but she had to form a response. And, as she had with her texts much earlier in the night, she found that she would much rather be completely honest.

“Y-you don’t look too bad, yourself,” she managed, and she grinned shyly up at him. A faint dusting of color rose to his cheeks, but he chuckled.

“Thank you,” he answered, his voice soft and shaking, and she felt his arm pulling her just a tiny bit nearer. She let him hold her closer as they stepped across the threshold and many high-profile individuals came into view.

Had she been alone, Marinette would have already frozen in her tracks, but having Adrien by her side made it so much easier. It was extremely comforting to let him lead the way, since she had never been to an event like this as a guest. And there was no good way to factor in the feeling when several eyes were glued to her companion and, by extension, Marinette, when they entered the room arm in arm. It was an awkward sensation for the shy designer to be so near the center of attention.

That’s why it was nice to have Adrien to lean on and rely on as he strode confidently into the room. She just had to keep up with him, lift her chin, and look like she belonged.

“ _Oh my God_ ,” Marinette squeaked softly as her eyes flitted around the room. For the moment, she didn’t even care that her companion was chuckling at her. As she looked around her, she spotted not just the models from the shows, or the seven designers that had headlined the event, but also a few actors, Mayor Bourgeois, a few famous foreign designers and models, and various other members of the fashion industry that she recognized from some of her magazine subscriptions.

She tried not to look in the direction that she had already seen her partner’s father standing. She idolized the man’s designs, but she wasn’t sure how to feel about being in the same room as him. It wasn’t exactly a secret that, at some point, or maybe even now, Adrien and his father didn’t get along.

The thought that she, an aspiring designer, was walking around with her idol’s son as her escort was both thrilling and off-putting at the same time.

“Enjoying yourself?” Adrien’s amused tone broke into her thoughts, and Marinette jumped a little.

“This is _amazing_ ,” she knew her voice was higher than usual, but she was doing her best to maintain a presentable appearance. “Is that Isabel Marant? And over there, Esteban Cortázar?” Marinette scanned the room again and gasped, squeezing his arm a little tighter. “ _Vivienne Westwood_?”

“Oh, she’s here? I haven’t seen her in a while,” Adrien observed, his tone still teasing. The dark-haired woman couldn’t bring herself to find offense, because it was all because of him that she had this opportunity. She was standing in room full of industry greats, and it was all because Tikki had decided that a handsome blond man needed to play with them in the rain one day.

At the thought, Marinette couldn’t help but giggle softly.

“Mr. Agreste!” a voice hailed, and Marinette realized that they were addressing Adrien and not his father. “Another wonderful show!”

As the model turned to engage in conversation, Mari recognized the other man as the other male model that had represented Gabriel Agreste’s line. He was just an inch or two shorter than Adrien, with darker hair and the bronze skin of a southerner, but a handsome man nonetheless. Not as handsome as the blond beside her, of course, but it was hard to beat him in her eyes.

“Pierre!” Adrien laughed, greeting the other model with a handshake. “You know you can call me Adrien!”

The dark-haired man grinned toothily back, and relented, “Oh, all right, _Adrien_. But as I was saying, you had another wonderful walk tonight. As usual. I think every eye in the room was glued to you each time you were out there!”

“You praise me too much!” the blond smiled disarmingly at his coworker. “I’m only a part of the whole show. You had an amazing run as well, Pierre, especially with that last piece. I’m sure Marinette agrees,” Adrien drew her into the conversation and she blinked rapidly at him before grinning.

“Yes, the last piece was particularly eye-catching!” she supplied. “It fit your figure well and helped to brighten your complexion. It was well suited to you.”

“A good eye! I don’t believe I’ve made your acquaintance before, miss,” Pierre grinned.

“Ah, pardon my manners,” Adrien pulled his arm from hers so that she could reach forward to shake the offered hand. “Pierre Laurent, this is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Marinette, my fellow Agreste model, Pierre.”

“It’s a pleasure,” the model lifted her hand to his lips, politely pausing above the skin before releasing her. Marinette just smiled at him.

“Thank you, Mr. Laurent,” she managed to find her voice, but was unsure how she should continue. Thankfully, though, she had Adrien to add more to the conversation.

“You’ve said that Marinette has a good eye,” her companion prompted, and at Pierre’s enthusiastic agreement, he continued, “if you would be so kind, what do you think of our current clothes?”

“ _Adrien_ ,” Marinette whined, just a little, and the blond smirked at her.

“I don’t see how it relates to the lady’s excellent attention to detail, but both Miss Dupain-Cheng’s gown and your own suit are excellent. The beading on the lady’s bodice is expertly done, and the careful attention to the embroidery on your vest is amazing. Hand-sewn, too, if I judge correctly,” the other model smiled charmingly, though it had little effect on the designer. Her face was already burning from his compliments, so she couldn’t be bothered by anything else.

Adrien held his arm out again and she slipped her hand back into the crook of his elbow as he grinned at his coworker.

“It has everything to do with Marinette’s attention to detail, Pierre. Marinette designed her dress and my suit, and sewed them herself.”

“You’re serious?” the dark-haired model asked blankly, then beamed, and then chuckled. “What a marvelous talent you have there, Miss! I look forward to seeing your designs on this stage in the next few years!”

“T-thank you, Sir,” Marinette flushed, ducking her head.

A voice called for Pierre, and he excused himself, adding, “It was very nice to meet you, Miss. Have a good evening, both of you!”

“It was nice to meet you, too,” the designer managed, smiling as he departed.

Adrien squeezed her arm comfortingly.

“Look at you, Marinette,” he teased her, “already making a splash!”

“Because you brought up my designs!” she insisted, curling her fingers more tightly around his arm. “Do you know how embarrassing that was? And to one of your coworkers! It’s not quite as embarrassing when someone notices on their own, like the woman I was sitting next to in the other room—that’s what held me, we were talking about my designs—but when you bring them up? It’s almost like…fishing for compliments…?”

She wasn’t scolding him at all, and she was glad he understood it because he started to chuckle as he pulled her farther into the room.

“I’ll try not to point it out as much,” Adrien finally told her, though he added with a grin, “but no promises.”

The petite designer just sighed, rolling her eyes in a playful manner as another couple came up to greet Adrien. She was introduced and smiled back until, to her surprise, the wife commented on her dress.

“I don’t recognize the design!” she expanded on her claim. “It’s not one of the designers showcased tonight, is it?”

“It is not,” Marinette smiled, shaking her head gently.

“I didn’t think so…but it suits you so well! It’s wonderful! Who _is_ the designer, if you don’t mind my asking?”

The dark-haired woman flushed again as Adrien chuckled a little. The older couple glanced at him curiously, and he explained, “My apologies. Mari and I just had this conversation a moment ago, in fact, but I’ll let her explain the rest.”

A wink, and she flushed a little more.

“T-the design is one of my own,” she offered, softly but with a little bit of confidence.

“Indeed?” the man’s eyebrows raised.

Marinette nodded, lightly fingering the material. “Yes, it’s entirely hand-sewn, and the beading was also done by hand. I went for a simplistic design with a bit of a flair…”

“Oh, another person is admiring your handiwork, I see!” a slightly familiar voice rang, and Marinette turned to see the woman from the seat next to her at the show smiling, her husband at her side. “Genevieve, your eye is excellent, as always!”

“Oh, Charlotte! You’ve met Miss Dupain-Cheng?”

“I had the honor of sitting next to her at the event,” the kind woman beamed, reaching out to shake Marinette’s hand again. The dark-haired designer reached forward to meet her, smiling nervously at her. She’d briefly looked at the card, and seeing the name _Charlotte Allard_ had been a little staggering. “It was a treat to not only see all the wonderful designs crossing the stage, but to have this beautiful piece of work right next to me the entire time! I never imagined that you were here with young Mr. Agreste, Miss Dupain-Cheng.”

This woman was only one of the best accessory designers that worked under the Agreste name, and she was praising Marinette with a gleam in her eye.

 “Ms. Allard, it has been a while!” Adrien beamed at the woman, inclining his head. “And you’ve met Marinette already! Her work is excellent, is it not?”

“Exquisite!” the woman quipped back, winking at Marinette. “Has she shown you her signature stitching, Genevieve? It’s a gorgeous touch, nothing like some of the embroidery out there now. In fact, you might find it just as familiar as I did!”

“Oh, really?” the woman’s interest was piqued, and she turned to Marinette with a question in her eyes and on her tongue. “Do you mind, my dear?”

“Not at all, ma’am,” the dark-haired woman smiled and held out gently plucked at part of her dress. “My needlework along the borders and hems are examples of my signature stitching, and it can also be found here, along the top of my gloves,” she gestured, and the older woman leaned forward to look. After a moment, she caught her breath and beamed.

“My, my, my!” the woman chuckled into her hand. “We’ve found Gabriel Agreste’s favorite contest winner, haven’t we?”

Marinette couldn’t stop the heat that rose to her cheeks, but she giggled and Adrien started chuckling. Charlotte Allard chuckled as well, and quickly engaged the other woman in conversation, casting the younger duo a conspiring grin. After a few moments, Adrien excused them from the conversation, though the shy designer was convinced to part with yet another business card from the stash in her clutch. Her blond partner was over the moon about that, and she flushed furiously as he teased her.

From then on, they navigated the crowds with relative ease, occasionally pausing to chat a little, tossing compliments, and generally enjoying each other’s company. Adrien had fun teasing Marinette about how many people were noticing her designs, and they had a particularly good laugh after one of his fellow models, a skinny brunette woman, started gushing to him about _Ladybug_ and how she’d seen in his old interview that he was a fan, too.

After a little while, though, Adrien excused himself and Marinette wandered to the refreshment table, indulging in the curiosity she’d felt for the last forty-five minutes.

Whatever was here, pastry-wise, she was one hundred percent positive that her family bakery could best. But, as competitive as she was, she still wanted to go see for herself what some of the finest, expensive patisseries could supply for such a grand event like this one.

She had scarcely reached the table, discarding her first empty champagne flute on a server’s tray, when she heard a loud voice. Before the designer could turn, a blonde woman in an extravagant—and, in Marinette’s eyes, _hideous_ —yellow gown bumped into her. The other woman spun, furious, and nearly yelled, “ _Watch_ where you’re _going_!”

And then the blonde blinked, looked the dark-haired woman up and down, and snorted in a very unladylike fashion.

“Good evening, Chloe, Sabrina,” Marinette struggled to keep her composure in front of the bully she’d dealt with for years in school. She had told her off many times in public settings, but a fashion show was not the place to get into it. Keeping a straight face, however, was hard when she noticed that, just like she and Adrien had joked about weeks ago, Chloe was wearing a jeweled tiara with her already gaudy gown.

“Oh, if it isn’t Marinette!” Chloe made no attempt to hide her disdain. As the mayor’s daughter, she usually got away with more than anyone else with her attitude would. “Helping with catering? Working for another bakery because yours finally went out of business?”

Before the designer could reply, Sabrina tapped Chloe on the shoulder and whispered something to her.

“Really? Whe—oh! _Adrikins!_ ” Chloe’s voice rose, one of her shrill tones that Marinette had long ago associated with the way she tried to win favors with people at least as influential as her father. And when she followed the blonde’s gaze, she found a very familiar face walking towards them. Chloe was already rushing Adrien, though, and seizing his arm in a vicelike grip with a simpering smile. “Oh, Adrien, the show was _fantastic_! You were amazing, as I’m always telling my friends. They’re so jealous that we’re so close, you know, and it’s so fun to brag about you to them! But did you see me? I was third row, center! Come on, let’s walk and talk a while, Adrien, since you’re not with anyone!”

“Uh, thanks, Chloe,” Adrien grimaced slightly in Mari’s direction and she tried to hide her smirk as he tried to extricate himself from the other woman’s hold. “But I’m actually here with someone, you know, and I’d like to get back to her.”

The shock only made the girl clench his arm more tightly.

“ _What_? Which model convinced you to come with her? Surely spending time with an old friend like _me_ is much better than spending time with your _coworkers_ , Adrikins!” she started pulling on his arm, “Come on, we’ll go talk to her together and she’ll understand!”

“I’m sorry, Chloe,” Adrien finally managed to pull his arm away, and slipped over to the refreshment table. “I can’t do that.”

“Are you hungry? You, you’re with catering, right? Hurry and help Adrikins find what he needs!” the blonde demanded of Marinette, gesturing wildly at the table. The dark-haired woman didn’t move, and Chloe frowned. “What are you waiting for?!”

“Chloe,” the model’s voice was much harsher than Mari had ever heard it, and then there was a warmth in the small of her back. It took her a few long seconds to realize that it was Adrien’s hand, and he was stepping closer to her side. “Marinette is my partner for the night, and I’d appreciate it if you stopped harassing her.”

“W-wait, _what_? You know her?” was Chloe’s immediate reaction. Her carefully waxed brows puckered then and she said, snidely, “She doesn’t suit you, you know. Her dress is practically a rag next to mine, and her family owns a tiny bakery over by the school I used to go to.”

Adrien’s hand curled around Marinette’s waist as she opened her mouth to retort, and had bite back a surprised squeak. Instead, she let herself lean a little closer into him and felt the flush of warmth as he continued to defend her.

“I’m afraid you’re _sorely_ mistaken, Chloe, if you think Marinette’s dress is the rag here,” the implication was heavy in the air, and the blonde woman’s jaw dropped incredulously. “Marinette is my guest here tonight—and if _you_ didn’t notice, she was sitting in the _front row_ , just off-center, so she had a better view of the runway as a whole. Now if you _don’t_ mind, we’ll be going now. Good evening, Chloe.”

“Have a good night Chloe, Sabrina,” Marinette managed before Adrien pulled her away. The petite designer felt a little guilty about how happy she was that her companion had told off her old high school bully like that. And flaunting the ticket differences, too—that would probably make Chloe scream at her father’s assistant for getting the wrong tickets.

“The nerve!” the blond at her side suddenly fumed, softly, as his hand drew her nearer to his side. She wasn’t about to complain. “I can’t believe Chloe treated you like that! Just because your parents are bakers, she just assumed that you were part of the catering staff! I don’t know what she said before I got there, but the look on your face said that you were about to _destroy_ her, though, and as much as I’d love to see that, I didn’t want you to be removed from the premises because she can’t fight her own fights. She would have called her father, for sure!”

Much of Adrien’s rant was mumbled, but she still managed to catch everything, and she couldn’t help but giggle.

“It’s fine, Adrien,” Mari leaned her head lightly against his shoulder. They were standing off to the edge of the room, and the designer accepted two new flutes of champagne from a passing server, handing one to the model with a gentle smile. “I dealt with Chloe through all of high school. I knew I didn’t want to get into anything with her here tonight, so I would have held my tongue…at least until the event ended.”

The blond chuckled at her, hand settling even more comfortably at the swell of her hip as he rested his chin atop her head for a moment.

“It’s not that I don’t _trust_ you, Marinette,” he amended, tone amused. “I don’t trust Chloe around people she very obviously dislikes for no apparent reason. She gets…unpredictable,” he paused, deep in thought, and then amended, “No, not unpredictable, because Chloe’s reaction whenever someone upsets her is _always_ predictable. She’ll call on her father’s influence, like usual.”

“As you’ve said,” the dark-haired woman laughed lightly, leaning a little farther into his shoulder. “It’s been a few years since we went to school together, but I still remember how much Chloe likes to use her father’s position to get what she wants.”

A sigh escaped his lips, and finally he said, “I just don’t want you to have to deal with her tonight. It’s almost Christmas, so I want you to have a good time.”

Marinette’s heart warmed, and she smiled softly to herself as she forced herself to lean away from him, though not far enough that he removed his hand from her waist, for which she was secretly very, very grateful. At his curious glance, though, she found herself grinning warmly at him, taking a sip of her champagne. As the famed string quartet, the evening’s entertainment, started playing another song, she found her resolve.

“If you really want me to have such a good time,” she focused on making her tone light and airy, “then we should finish our champagne and dance when the next song starts.”

Adrien blinked in surprise, and then a grin crept across his features, so slowly at first that she wasn’t certain it was there. But by the time it stopped, he was beaming at her, and pointedly took a long drink of his own glass. Marinette tried to ignore the way his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat when he swallowed, though the recently banished heat in her cheeks returned with a vengeance at the thought. After he had swallowed, though, he glanced at her again and teased, “If you want to dance, Mari, shouldn’t you finish your champagne, too?”

At this, she giggled and took another drink to humor him before responding, “I didn’t mean that it had to be the next song they start playing! I just meant the next song after we finish what we’ve got!”

“Well, I took it the other way, so drink up!” Adrien winked then, and Marinette couldn’t help but laugh, taking a long drink of her champagne as her partner finished his own.

A few minutes later, the duo were discarding their empty glasses carefully on a passing server’s tray, and Adrien was guiding her to the dance floor with his hand in the small of her back, her clutch safely tucked in the pocket she’d sewn on the inside of his jacket, with his own wallet. Other dancers were vacating the floor and others were stepping on as the next piece was announced and the musicians prepared their instruments.

And then Adrien’s hand was on her side, her hand was on his shoulder, and their other hands were joined as the unmistakable sounds of a waltz spread through the air. Marinette forgot her usual clumsiness when the blond smiled at her, and when his hand slipped farther to rest in the small of her back, effectively drawing her nearer, she felt extremely warm.

He led, as was only proper, and she felt herself falling into his easy grace. Following the music and his movements had never seemed easier than it did just then. She could have, and _would_ have stumbled by now if she were with anyone else, but with Adrien, she felt like she could do anything. When they spun, the satin of her dress twirled around her legs, the chiffon layers flowing gently atop it. In his eyes, she saw shining emeralds, enticing her and pulling her in. The heat from his hand as it radiated through her glove where their hands were clasped helped remind her that this was real and that she wasn’t dreaming.

As they made their way across the floor, spinning and swaying, Marinette felt as if nothing else mattered. The fact that so many members of the fashion industry were here wasn’t important. The models and designers and reporters couldn’t even faze her right now, because she was on cloud nine. There was only one other person in her world right now, and it was the blond man she couldn’t keep her eyes off of.

The way Adrien held her, his warm hand in the small of her back and so close that their chests were almost— _almost_ —touching sent her head spinning. He held her gently, _intimately_ , almost as though she were fragile. If her life could possibly be any more like a romance drama, it would be in this moment. A moment that was perfect already, as the man of her dreams held her as they glided across a lacquered wood floor together, where the contented curve of his lips and the softness in his eyes made her feel like she was his _everything_.

Marinette felt the moment she gave her heart to him completely as a moment of total detachment, as green eyes bored into hers and the music reached a crescendo somewhere in the distance. She knew it from the way her heart dropped into her stomach, from the way she felt herself pull closer to him, just a fraction of an inch but closer nonetheless, and in the way that the idle chatter in the background seemed to cease completely, leaving the two of them wrapped in a world of music and each other and nothing else.

And she didn’t struggle; she simply allowed herself to fall.

* * *

 

From the moment Adrien had first seen her, he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of Marinette. At the show, it had been hard to see details, of course, since he was on stage with all the lights trained on him and he couldn’t make it obvious that he was looking for someone. He’d made out the dark color of her dress, noticed that her hair was carefully done, but had been entirely unable to glean anything else from just that.

When he’d seen her in the small foyer, though, his mouth had dropped open. He knew it had, because the woman he had seen before him was a _vision_.

Her dress fit her as no other would ever be able to do. The fit and design accentuated the soft swell of her bosom and the gentle flare of her hips, flowing gracefully around her form. Even from across the room he could tell that she had made the base of the dress out of a deep, navy satin, and the many layers and single strap were of a navy chiffon. The accessory, he hesitated to call it a _belt_ although it resembled one, which gathered the chiffon at her waist was perfectly placed, and was a pearlescent hue to match the beading on the bodice, and it was hard not to stare at the picture she made, standing there. Her hair was expertly styled—probably the work of Juleka—to her left, a blue and white floral hairpiece holding it in place as the gentle curls fell over Marinette’s shoulder.

The part that struck him the most, however, was the sapphire necklace that fell just below her collarbone. The necklace that he had given her without warning, without prompting, one that she had opened and gasped at while he’d been gushing about the charcoal grey suit he was wearing now. He couldn’t believe that she was actually wearing it tonight, but it warmed his heart and was enough to make him smile, composing himself quickly and striding forward to meet her.

The only time he’d let her leave his sight was when he had to take a bathroom break. He might never tell her, but he’d been so excited to see the petite designer that he’d totally forgotten to make use of the restroom immediately after the show so he wouldn’t have to while they were together, and when he returned to the room a few minutes later, slightly embarrassed by his lack of foresight, he’d immediately started to look for her.

His heart had squeezed, almost painfully, when he saw the look of disgust on Chloe’s face as she talked to Marinette in a visibly snide manner.

Before Adrien knew what he was doing, he was yanking his arm roughly from the blonde’s grasp and sliding over to Marinette. He hadn’t meant to come across as so aggressive, or even as possessive as he felt like he was being, but when she didn’t flinch away from the hand he placed in the small of her back, Adrien felt a surge of confidence.

It was the first time he’d told Chloe off like that, and it felt good.

That, however, was nothing compared to _this_.

She had seemed a little unsure at the beginning of the waltz and he had offered her a comforting grin. As soon as the music started and Adrien made the first step, though, the petite woman in his arms fell into step with easy grace. He couldn’t keep a chuckle from bubbling up, and he might have felt ashamed of it, but the way that Marinette’s smile widened as they danced and how a small, tinkling laugh escaped her lips made his heart soar.

The model hadn’t believed it was possible, but he felt like they were floating above the floor, their steps as light as if they were walking on air, and her eyes were shining like they held the light of all the stars within them. He guided her and she followed, tracing their way through other, almost _invisible_ dancers, her laugh pulling him in and her smile keeping him there. He took note of every expression that crossed her features, every move she made, even the light dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks that the makeup didn’t cover. When her hand shifted on his shoulder, he felt the heat of her palm even though her glove and through his suit. It felt like fire wherever they touched, but it was a heat he’d gladly embrace.

The way her dress gently caressed his legs as they spun made him feel even more connected to her. It was as if the dress was an extension of Marinette herself, clinging to him with each step they took. It made him want to pull her closer, close enough that their chests would finally touch, but he resisted the urge because this girl, this _woman_ in his arms was absolutely _everything_ , and he wasn’t about to risk losing her because he was impatient.

And he felt it again, even more than the last time he had seen her, the day of the winter photoshoot. He felt the urge, the almost overwhelming desire to lean in and steal her lips for himself, to taste her at long last—but he couldn’t, he _wouldn’t_. This wasn’t the time nor the place for that, no matter how much he wanted it.

 _No matter how kissable she looks_.

The way she never stopped smiling made his heart squeeze. Although he hadn’t been entirely certain that she was being truthful when she had suggested dancing as a way to make sure she had fun, Adrien was completely convinced now. Marinette was always the kind of woman whose emotions were fairly easy to see. Even now, when she gazed up at him with star-filled eyes, he thought he could read them. Or he _hoped_ he could.

When he looked at her now, he saw raw, unfettered affection. For _him_. And while Adrien was, unfortunately, used to women throwing themselves at him, the way that the dark-haired angel was looking at him now was something entirely different. Her eyes were bright, her smile wide, but her expression was soft, nothing like the calculating eyes of many other women. And when her blue eyes seemed to soften at something, the music reaching its crescendo, he felt her pull herself closer, her fingers on his shoulder tightening for just the briefest of moments, he knew.

Adrien knew that there was no turning back now. Despite how much he craved the friendship that they had, the blond knew he wanted more, and from her actions he at least _believed_ that Marinette wanted the same. Whatever might come, Adrien knew that he had to try or he would regret it for the rest of his life.

This woman was like the sun, and he was drawn to her like a moth to the flame.

It was almost torture when the music faded and the sounds of the other guests started to filter back into his ears. The woman in front of him was glowing and he just wanted to keep dancing with her for as long as he could. But she smiled, let out a giggle, and curtsied a little to him. It startled a chuckle from him and he bowed a little at the waist, offering her his arm. Her hands slipped into a familiar position almost immediately, and the duo found their way off the dance floor.

“You’re quite the dancer, Marinette,” he found himself commenting as he offered her a soft smile. “I couldn’t quite tell when we danced in the snow, but I had my suspicions.”

She laughed when he ended his statement with a signature _Chat Noir_ wink.

“Ballet, when I was little,” she offered lightly, beaming up at him. “That was before wushu.”

“Wushu?” Adrien raised an eyebrow, curious. He recognized the name, but he didn’t have a clue where from. “I had a lot of lessons as a child. Piano, a few violin lessons that went horribly, ballroom dance, fencing…”

The dark-haired woman laughed, but explained simply, “Wushu is a popular sport in China. It’s kind of like…acrobatic kung-fu?”

“You can tell me about it later,” Adrien murmured in her ear as an extremely recognizable figure cut a path directly for them. People parted for Gabriel Agreste to pass and the younger Agreste watched as the man drew closer. Mari followed his gaze and a soft gasp escaped. “It looks like my father would like to talk to us.”

The blond stood a little straighter, feeling the designer at his side do the same, and he nodded to his father when he stopped in front of the duo.

“Adrien,” he nodded at his son in a businesslike manner. He held out his hand and Adrien reached forward to clasp it. “A good show tonight. You’ve done well.”

“Thank you, father. Your line was well represented out there this evening.”

“Indeed,” the man nodded, and then lowered his piercing blue gaze to the dark-haired woman at Adrien’s side. “I don’t recognize that design you’re wearing, miss…?”

“Dupain-Cheng, Mr. Agreste,” she ducked her head politely, releasing Adrien’s arm to take the hand that his father had automatically offered. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I—“

“Dupain-Cheng?” his father didn’t let her finish her statement, and the model bristled. He could treat Adrien however he wanted to, but the younger Agreste drew the line at treating _Marinette_ like that. He held his tongue, though, when Marinette’s hand slipped softly back into the crook of his elbow. She nodded at the older man’s question and he continued, “Ah, I see. Then, Miss Dupain-Cheng, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume that you made this dress yourself”

She blinked in surprise, and then shook her head softly. When she spoke her voice was a bit nervous, but firm. “It wouldn’t be too far-fetched, Sir. This is one of my newer designs.”

Adrien’s father examined the gown for a moment, then his eyes flicked to his son’s suit. His gaze was a little uncomfortable, but his blue eyes were drawn back to the petite woman soon enough and he remarked, calmly, “My son’s suit is your work, too, Miss Dupain-Cheng?”

“Yes, Sir.”

The blond model could see the gears turning in her head, and how hard it was for her to hold herself together in a conversation with her fashion idol, but she was doing well. He pulled his arm in closer, and her fingers tightened in recognition and, perhaps, in thanks.

“Your work is always improving,” the seasoned designer acknowledged. “I am quite impressed, Miss Dupain-Cheng. You have an entry for the New Year’s contest, yes?”

“T-thank you! Yes, my entry for the New Year’s contest is already in, Sir.”

Her nervousness had broken through again, but the red that topped her ears was undoubtedly due to his compliments. It wasn’t every day that a young designer was told by _the_ Gabriel Agreste that he was _impressed_ by their work, after all. Adrien felt a huge surge of pride in his partner’s ability, and how easily his father had recognized her work.

“I look forward to seeing it, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” Gabriel nodded to her. “I trust you enjoyed the show tonight?”

“Very much,” Marinette agreed with a smile. “It was a great show. I have the feeling that I have a lot to improve on, but I’ve learned so much from being here tonight.”

“Your thoughts on the lines?”

 _Oh_.

This was new.

Adrien had never seen his father questioning a younger designer on their opinions unless he was seriously considering hiring them. The thought sent his heart racing. If Marinette was hired by his father, Adrien might get the chance to model her clothes not only as _Chat Noir_ , but as himself, too. It was an idea that appealed to him very much, and he could scarcely pay attention to how Marinette described some of the pieces.

He did, however, note the approving look in his father’s eyes as the older man listened with rapt attention to the young designer’s thoughts and opinions, and another flare of pride welled in his breast.

“And there was only one design of yours, Mr. Agreste, that I was a little unsure about,” the woman plowed on, and Adrien felt his eyes widen. She was about to give her _fashion idol_ a critique on his work. This was something that Adrien _had_ to listen to. “It was the third outfit worn by Georgia Bellamy, I believe? The combination of ruffles and lace seemed a bit too much. If the lace trim were taken from the top, I think it would work better, but the lace trim at the bottom is still fine regardless.”

The woman trailed off, and he could see the gears in her head turning. He knew from the look on her face that she was picturing the design and readjusting things in her head.

“Ah, yes, that piece was particularly troublesome,” the experienced designer nodded. “Thank you for your input, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I look forward to seeing more work from you, but I’m afraid I have other business to attend to now.”

“Oh! I’m sorry for keeping you, Sir!” Marinette’s eyes widened, and Adrien could tell that she was mortified at the fact that she’d just rattled off so many things. “It was nice talking to you,” she ducked her head shyly at the end, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“It was a pleasure,” Gabriel spoke coolly, but his son was surprised by the spark of amusement in his father’s eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, Miss Dupain-Cheng, Adrien.”

“Good evening, Father,” Adrien spoke for the first time since the beginning of the encounter, nodding to his father. He could have sworn he saw traces of a faint smile on the older man’s features, but he couldn’t be certain. The man just gave him a nod and headed off to greet one of the American designers present, and Adrien turned back to his companion.

“ _Oh my God_ ,” she breathed, her face flushed and blue eyes wide as she looked up at the blond model. “Did I just…?! Was that…?! _He said he was impressed_!”

If they had been in a less public setting, Adrien was sure she would have thrown her hands in the air, but as it was she just gripped his arm even tighter. He couldn’t help the slow grin that spread across his features as she continued to freak out about everything that had just transpired between herself and his father.

“Congratulations, Marinette,” he couldn’t help himself, and he chuckled at her surprised gasp when he said her name.

“T-thank you?” she squeaked, her flush growing darker. “I-I mean, I’m sorry, I’m not really that well composed right now and I just— _I just gave Gabriel Agreste a critique on one of his designs_ —oh my _God_ he probably hates me right now. And you! You were right there the whole time! How could you let me do that?!”

Now she was pouting at him, and it was one of the most _adorable_ things that he had ever seen on a grown woman.

“You were handling yourself quite well without my help, thank you very much!” Adrien defended, thought his grin was betraying his amusement. “Besides, he enjoyed your critiques. You were too busy talking about it, but you should have seen his face. If you’re not careful, you might be getting a job offer soon, my Lady!”

Oh, man, he loved making her turn as red as her mask, especially when the mask wasn’t there to hide it. Her makeup could only do so much, and her ears were a solid, burning crimson. He tried not to notice that it was creeping down her neck, too, but it was incredibly amusing to watch her as her embarrassment grew.

She finally bit her lip, took a breath, and exhaled slowly. “I doubt I’ll get a job offer, _silly cat_ ,” she emphasized the nickname pointedly, rolling her eyes at the Cheshire grin he threw her way. “But I’ll trust you about the critiques. He did seem genuinely interested about most of them, though I did get carried away after a while. I think it was just wanting to hear what another designer thought, although I’ve no idea why he’d ask _me_ if that was the case…”

The blond just chuckled as they wandered through the room once more. The dark-haired woman trailed off and leaned into his side, falling into a comfortable silence. They paused to talk to a few other names in the room, and Adrien wanted to laugh at the fact that at least half of them noticed her dress and commented on the craftsmanship. He particularly enjoyed the fact that he had to retrieve her clutch from his pocket so that she could give out at a few more business cards, though he wondered, idly, if she really needed to.

He’d honestly never seen his father so impressed by someone’s comments, and he hadn’t been joking about the idea that she might get a job offer.

“Ugh, after all of that I could use a snack. Chloe interrupted me earlier,” her voice drew him out of his thoughts, and Adrien snorted softly at the remark. She looked up at him, indignant. “Hey! You know it’s true! And then, after she interrupted me, you pulled me away so that we wouldn’t have to deal with her anymore. So it’s partially your fault, too!”

“Yes, yes,” he placed his free hand on her smaller one tucked in the crook of his elbow. “I’ll make it up to you somehow, but for now, I could use a snack, too.”

She sniffed. “You’d better make it up to me,” he could hear the joke in her voice and the smile he’d had all day only grew.

“It’s a promise,” he replied, tugging her lightly towards the refreshment table.

* * *

 

Adrien watched as Marinette listened with rapt attention to the last designer’s speech. The way her eyes sparkled as she soaked in the information entranced him, and there were multiple occasions where the applause that signaled the end of another designer’s speech had jarred him back to the present. He would quickly join in the clapping, the dark-haired designer beside him glancing up at his late start and offering him a half teasing grin. She probably thought he was drowning them out because he’d heard the same kinds of speeches multiple times, but the truth was very different.

With this woman at his side, it felt like they were the only two in the room.

It was easy for him to lose track of everything that was happening when his eyes were constantly drawn to her. He enjoyed the way she bounced on the balls of her feet when she was excited about the next speaker, the way she leaned against him in the brief lulls between the speeches, the way her lips curved upwards with advice given by the designers on stage. Adrien knew that he was in even deeper than he had been before the event, if that was even _possible_ , and he felt honored to be the one standing at her side.

The blond took a deep breath and pulled his gaze back to the small stage at the front of the room. The least known designer of the show, an up-and-coming woman in her late twenties, was expressing her gratitude for being chosen to participate in the show next to such famous names, and detailing how the experience would help her grow. She was just wrapping up with her thanks, and a quick glance to his left showed that Marinette was drinking in every word, a thoughtful expression on her features.

That would be Marinette in just a few years, he was certain. That thankful woman on the stage, an up-and-coming star featured on the runway next to billionaires in the industry, would soon be a petite French-Chinese woman with eyes as blue as the sky. Adrien was certain of it.

When the final speech ended, Marinette was clapping with all the others, and Adrien joined in immediately with a grin. The designer at his side might have learned a lot from the entire night, but he knew she was taking the stories she’d heard to heart. She’d heard a few stories from different designers or throughout the night about how they had risen to whatever acclaim they had, and she was probably daydreaming about her own rise to fame.

But that was foolish—she was already famous. She was _Ladybug_ , after all, and he was sure that if these designers knew that, they would have flocked around her even more than they had already.

After the applause died out, Adrien knew he had to say something. The rest of the guests were either mingling once more or leaving, and he knew she’d had an exciting evening.

“Are we going to hang around for a while longer, or would you rather go home, my Lady?” he found himself asking, an easy smirk gracing his lips. Marinette blinked and looked up at him in surprise, and then lowered her eyes in thought.

“I-I might go home,” she murmured softly, glancing up at him through her lashes. “I don’t want to pull you away from everything, so I’ll get a cab—“

“I’ve spoken to everyone I need to speak to,” Adrien waved off her concern, heart thumping at the expression she was making. “I’ll give you a ride.”

“No, really,” her eyes widened as her hands came out in front of her, as if to stop him from offering. “Cab fare isn’t that bad, really, and I’ve already troubled your driver once tonight! You don’t have to go out of your way for me!”

“I _want_ to,” the words tumbled out before he could stop them, but after a brief panic, he realized that he would have said the same thing even if he had given himself the time to think about it. He started to open his mouth to continue, but he caught her blush and held his tongue, waiting for Marinette’s reaction.

She clasped her fingers nervously around her clutch, glancing up at him through her lashes once again, and murmured, “Ah, well, if you’re sure…”

“I am,” he confirmed, offering his arm again. “Shall we go retrieve our coats, Princess?”

She made an adorable face at the nickname, but nodded as her hands found a familiar place on his arm. The warmth of her hands made him smile and he led the way to the exit, bidding farewell to those who acknowledged them on the way. The designer, Charlotte Allard, waved gently as they left, and Marinette returned the gesture with a shy smile. Adrien couldn’t help it and chuckled softly to himself.

“What’s so funny, kitty cat?” she asked idly, glancing up at him with a contented smile.

“You’re quite good friends with Charlotte Allard now, I see,” he remarked, smiling at the woman over Mari’s head and nodding at the woman’s grin. He pretended not to see the way she winked at him, though his ears started to burn. “Maybe she’ll give you a call sometime soon?”

“No way!” she giggled, flushing lightly. “She’s a really kind woman, though, so I’m really happy to have met her. And she said I could use her as a reference if I put in some applications. It’s exciting!”

“You’ve made a pretty good impression tonight, Mari,” Adrien had to make the observation aloud, if just to see how red she turned. “You can’t even pretend that you didn’t. At least four designers commented you on your work, and several other guests. It’s at least a start, right?”

“I-I guess,” she stuttered softly, cheeks aglow. The model grinned at a job well done as they stepped into the foyer.

“Mr. Agreste!” a man wearing one of the event’s uniforms bowed, directing them to a hallway instead of the door that Marinette had come through earlier. “This way to leave. May I get your coats?”

“Please,” Adrien nodded. “Agreste and Dupain-Cheng, please.”

“I’ll meet you with them in the main foyer, sir!” the man gave a half bow, and made off down a different hallway. Marinette, at his side, looked a little confused, but he smiled down at her and tugged her lightly towards the hallway.

“Breathe, Mari,” he teased lightly. “They like to pamper the rich people at these things.”

“I know, it’s just so _strange_!” she huffed softly, pouting. “I’m not used to people getting everything for me, or bringing me drinks, or any of it. It’s entirely new, you know!”

“You dealt with it all remarkably well,” he offered, squeezing her arm a little in reassurance. “Honestly, I don’t think anyone could tell it was your first time at one of those events. Especially when you had conversations about designing with some of the other guests.”

“It’s only because you were there.”

The words were easy, casual, and they _floored_ him. It was a struggle for him to keep walking after that, but he forced himself to as his mind started spinning. His heart couldn’t take much more of this before it would burst, he was sure. And when he looked down at her, he noticed that she had turned her face away, her ears and neck turning a brilliant shade of red. His chest squeezed with a good kind of pain, and he pulled her as near as he could while they were arm in arm. She leaned her head lightly against his upper arm for a moment before lifting her head to look forward once more. And then…

“Thank you, Adrien.”

“It was my pleasure,” he managed to breathe, and her hands squeezed his arm gently.

The main foyer came into view as silence fell between them. The only sounds he could hear were the sounds of their footsteps; the smart rap of his dress shoes and the steady click of her heels. A few other guests are still milling about, chatting idly as they wait for their cars, and Adrien took out his phone to send the Gorilla a text. The man was never far when he knew Adrien would need a ride, and the blond really appreciated it. His driver had been one of the most reliable people in his life since he was young, and that meant the world.

A glance to the woman on his arm made him send out a silent prayer that there was room for one more permanent presence in his life, and that it was for the one at his side.

His phone vibrated in his hand, and a glance showed that Gorilla was already out front waiting, and Adrien grinned. All they had to do was get their coats, and then he could take Marinette home without the same wait that some of the other guests were experiencing. Yet again, his reliable driver was pulling through for him.

And, almost before the thought was finished, the uniformed man arrived.

“Your coats, Mr. Agreste, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” the man offered, and the dark-haired woman thanked him this time as she took hers. Adrien thanked him when he took his own coat, and with a bow the worker left to assist another woman with retrieving her coat.

With a surge of confidence, the model dropped his coat over his arm and reached to take the white coat gently from Marinette’s hand. She blinked but let him take it, her blue eyes wide and curious. Understanding dawned when he carefully turned it and held it open for her with a nervous grin of his own. So much for the confidence that had prompted the action.

But the designer grinned brightly back at him, roses blooming on her cheeks as she turned to slide first one arm in, trading her clutch to that hand, before sliding her other arm into the appropriate sleeve. She pulled it tighter around her and started to button it as she spoke softly, “Thanks again, Adrien.”

“It was really nothing,” he brushed it off as he slipped his arms into his own coat. He gave her a bright grin. “I had more fun because you were with me.”

Oops, he’d done it again.

“I had fun, too,” her voice was soft, but he saw the gentle smile gracing her lips even though she was looking at her hands, and Adrien was the happiest he’d felt in a long while.

“If you’re ready, the car is waiting, Princess,” he remarked, a teasing, cheerful lilt in his tone.

“Knock it off, you silly cat!” she giggled, taking the arm he was offering her once more.

“As you wish,” he inclined his head, the ghost of a smirk crossing his lips before it receded into a soft smile. She just sighed and pointedly rolled her eyes at him, but she couldn’t hide the upturned corners of her lips, and he was satisfied.

As he had for much of the evening, Adrien took the lead, guiding her to the doors. They were opened by the uniformed event staff, who bid them a good night and a happy holiday as they departed. Adrien and Marinette both returned the sentiment, glancing at each other as they spoke in unison before starting to laugh, leaning into each other for a few moments. And then the cold winter air struck them, and he felt her draw even closer as they descended the steps in front of the venue. Her warmth at his side was comforting, and he only hoped that his body heat was also a comfort to her. The dress had to be cooler than his suit, after all, and the night air was frigid.

The blond had never been happier to usher someone into the car before him when Gorilla held the door open, and she didn’t even protest as she slipped into the backseat. Adrien waited for her to pull her dress out of the way, and then he sat beside her.

It took him approximately ten seconds to realize that she had only gone as far as the middle seat, and another three to notice that she was buckling into that seat. His heart leapt to his throat and he settled where he was, buckling and trying to pretend that he hadn’t noticed her proximity. But then he saw her rub her arms a little through her coat, and he leaned closer.

“Still cold?” he asked, laying a hand on her arm. Marinette started to shake her head in the negative, but after a sigh, she nodded.

“A little,” she admitted. Adrien rubbed her arm gently and, swallowing the hard ball of fear in his throat, dropped his arm around her shoulders so that he could do the same to her opposite arm. She stiffened briefly, and he thought about pulling his arm back, but then, ever so slowly, the dark-haired woman leaned her head against his shoulder. The words, “You’re warm,” slipped from her lips, and he doubted she’d meant to say it out loud, but he smiled anyway.

“Good. Maybe it’ll help warm you back up.”

She laughed a little, arms relaxing as her hands fell to her lap. “I’m sure it’ll help.”

Gorilla climbed into the driver’s seat about then, and Adrien directed him head to Mari’s apartment building, and he didn’t even need to ask. He’d been there enough times in the last couple of months to know exactly where it was. And then the car fell silent, with Marinette still leaning against him as their journey across Paris began. The blond immediately started thinking of ways to convince her to let him walk her to her apartment when they arrived at the complex.

He thought about telling her she was so beautiful, he was afraid someone would harass her. If he said that, though, she might think that he was harassing her, and that was the opposite of ideal. And then he considered a light fib by telling her she looked a little worn out and he wanted to make sure she made it to her apartment alright. Telling her the honest truth— _I just want to stay with you for as long as I can_ —didn’t seem like the best option, either, because it might come off a little clingy, and he didn’t want to push her away.

But things seemed to have a way of resolving themselves, wherever she was concerned, and he decided that she must have _incredible_ luck or just more courage than he had in his pinky.

They were only a few blocks from her apartment when she lifted her head from his arm, and he immediately lamented the loss of her touch in his mind. But she turned her head up to him and asked, tentatively, “I-I know it’s getting late, but would you l-like to come in for a coffee when we get there? Y-you don’t have to, of course!”

There she was, solving his question before he could even tackle it.

“That sounds great,” he gave her his best reassuring smile, but he knew it was too soft. There was something else in his smile now, something that felt so different and yet so _right_ , and even if he didn’t know what it was, he was going to find out. These were smiles only for her, and that had to mean something.

And then there were the smiles she gave him, like the one that slowly curled her lips into the gentle smile that was giving him a heart attack. Her lashes were lowered, her blue eyes were averted, but the smile she was wearing was the sweetest thing he had ever seen, and it took every ounce of self-control he had not to act on the roiling feelings in his gut. Instead, he gave her a side hug with the arm already draped across her shoulders and felt her lean into him.

The car pulled slowly into a spot in front of the building just moments later, and Adrien told the driver that he’d be going in for a coffee. He even said that he would be willing to get a cab if Gorilla wanted the rest of the night off, but the giant man just responded with, “Give me a call when you’re ready.”

The blond stepped out of the car, back into the wintry air, and offered a hand to Marinette as she carefully slid over to the edge of the seat. She accepted with a laugh as he pulled her to her feet before she stepped away so he could close the door behind her. The model, rather than offering her his arm this time, carefully wrapped it around her shoulders again. And then, to his surprise but also relief, she took it in stride and slid her own arm around his waist.

“It got so much colder,” she remarked softly as they walked, leaning into his side. He wondered, briefly, if she was trying to justify sharing his body heat, and he found the thought extremely endearing. “I wonder if there’s a chance of snow again tonight.”

“I’ll look it up on my phone when we get inside,” Adrien offered with a chuckle, and a light giggle greeted his words.

They made it into her building and to her apartment in relative silence, still basking in each other’s warmth, and Adrien’s heart was trying to lodge itself firmly in his throat. He hadn’t been here since the day he’d asked if he could kiss her. He hadn’t even _seen_ her since that day, and the urge to kiss her had been plaguing him half the night. Now, as he reached the place where he’d kissed her on the forehead in place of the almost kiss, the feeling only intensified. Even when she pulled away from him to unlock her door and he let his arm drop, slipping his hands casually into his pockets, he wanted to kiss her. When she turned to smile softly at him as she pushed the door open, he wanted to kiss her. When Tikki bounded up, wrapping herself around Marinette’s legs, far more gently than usual, and when the designer herself knelt down to scratch behind the Newfoundland’s ears, he wanted to kiss her.

But he knew, even as he slipped in and closed the door behind them, kneeling and waiting for Tikki to pounce as she was wont to do, that there was more to it than just wanting to kiss her.

He enjoyed the gentle touch of her hands on his elbow, the calming sensation of walking arm in arm with her. He wanted to gather all the starlight in her eyes and keep it for himself, so that only _he_ could see the way her eyes shined like all the stars in the sky. He wanted to hug her gently, his chin resting lightly on top of her head with her nose tucked lightly in the crook of his neck. The model wanted to hear her laugh, not just occasionally but _every day_ , from the same room and not over the phone.

The designer’s clicking heels and the feeling of a large dog’s very wet tongue on his cheek drew him back to attention and he laughed, scratching Tikki’s neck and leaning his forehead against hers.

“Hey, Tikki, it’s been a while!” he greeted, glancing to find that Marinette had shed her jacket and the gloves that went with her dress and had started to make the coffee. “Have you been a good girl?”

The large black dog huffed and lightly nuzzled his cheek, her breath tickling his ear. Adrien pulled away and stood up, shrugging out of his coat as he did so. Tikki wound herself around his legs a time or two, and he was amazed at how she wasn’t being forceful enough to make him stumble, before he headed to the sink to wash his hands.

“We ran out of my better brand,” Marinette observed as she looked at her coffee cans. She selected one and asked, “Will this one do?”

“Anything is fine, Mari,” Adrien chuckled, casting her a quick grin. She rolled her eyes at him again and passed him a towel to dry his hands before she turned back to making the coffee. The blond skirted around the petite woman to reach for the cabinet, pulling down two coffee mugs while she scooped coffee grounds into the filter. She added water then, turning on the machine, and he placed the cups gently beside the pot.

“Is it a habit for you to drink coffee at eleven at night?” he teased, but lightly nudged her with his elbow so that she fully understood that he was joking and that he didn’t mind.

“N-no! I mean, yes! I m-mean,” he hadn’t expected the stumbling speech, or the blossoming color on her cheeks. “I don’t usually drink coffee so late, but I-I’ve had so much fun tonight and I’m n-not really ready for tonight t-to end…”

She was wringing her hands together shyly, and Adrien stared at her blankly. Her eyes were turned down, so he was thankful that she didn’t see the way he’d been gaping like a fish. He snapped himself out of it, his throat tight, and managed to finally speak after a deafening pause, “I-I feel the same. It’s been a lot of fun with you tonight, Mari.” Adrien chuckled lightly then when she looked up at him, blue eyes wide, and he found the courage to admit, “I was honestly trying to think of excuses to use so that I could walk you to your door, but then you thought of one better.”

And then the _Chat Noir_ in him took over, and he winked.

Adrien hated himself for a split second before a giggle drew his attention, and then the petite designer was laughing, trying to stifle the sound with her hand. She paused and glanced up at him, but before he could speak she had ducked her head and continued, the mirth bubbling forth even though she was trying to contain it. And the model couldn’t help it—he started to laugh with her, not even noticing when her hand gripped his arm for support or how he immediately helped to steady her.

 _This_ was the sound he wanted to hear. This, he decided as they stopped, gasping for breath, was what true happiness sounded like.

“Th-the coffee’s d-done,” Mari wheezed slightly, a giggle crossing her lips as she pulled her hand away from his arm, turning to the pot. They must have been laughing a lot longer than he had thought, or the awkward pause in the beginning had lasted forever. Either way, he leaned on the counter, trying to compose himself, as the woman in the navy gown carefully poured two cups of coffee. “Two sugar cubes, r-right?” she asked him for confirmation, glancing up at him.

“Y-yeah,” the blond was surprised at how his voice cracked. When she passed him the steaming mug, he grinned. “Thanks, Mari.”

“No problem,” she chirped, dropping three cubes into her own cup. She led the way over to her sitting area then, carefully placing her hot drink down on a table before asking, “Do you mind if I turn on the radio? It’s Christmas Eve, and it’s just kind of a tradition to listen to the Christmas songs and the Santa countdown thing they do for the kids.”

She looked sheepish, but Adrien beamed. He hadn’t noticed when they first entered the apartment, but the entire room was the _essence_ of Christmas. There were carefully crafted snowflakes dangling from her ceiling, mingling with the icy blue lights that she had strung around the room. Her tree was short, about four feet tall, but he could tell now that it was a real tree. The smell of fresh pine was pleasant, and he wanted to laugh at how the tree was covered in ornaments and tinsel and lights.

“That’s perfect,” he answered her, still glancing around the room. She giggled at his delayed response, and he knew he looked like a child, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. She stepped over to the shelf above her television, where several stockings were pinned, and turned on the radio that sat there. The sounds of Christmas music met the air, and he chuckled as he finally finished taking in all of her decorations. “Your family does a lot for Christmas, then?”

Marinette just grinned fondly, stepping over to a spot near her tree. And, in just a few moments, the room was glittering from all of her Christmas lights.

“We’ve always done a lot for Christmas,” she finally said, making her way back to the couch and taking a seat. Adrien wasted little time in taking the seat next to her, holding his coffee with care. “Ever since I was little, we’d do something. We’d bake cookies together, decorate the house together. We’d go out to see Christmas lights across the city. Every Christmas Eve, we each got to open one present early, right before we all went to bed.”

The nostalgic glitter in her eyes drew him in.

“We always eat breakfast together on Christmas morning before opening presents,” she continued, and she leaned into him slightly. “Mom takes pictures while Dad and I open our presents, and then Dad takes the camera and makes her open her presents while he takes pictures. They argue a little, though they’re only playing around, and then we all watch a few Christmas movies together. We’ll usually have a big, late lunch, and sometimes Alya’s family comes over to join in, or sometimes we go there. It’s always a lot of fun.”

“It sure sounds like fun,” Adrien laughed, taking a sip of his coffee. “We’ve never really done much. After my mother disappeared, I don’t think I ever decorated another tree until I met Nino and went over to his house the day they started putting up Christmas decorations. It was so much fun, though.”

“Well,” Marinette’s tone took a no-nonsense edge, and he looked to her as she tugged his coffee out of his hands. She stood and pulled him to his feet, grinning at him with that starlight twinkle in her eyes. “Let’s start a new Christmas tradition, then! Dance with me again.”

“Dance how?” he laughed off his surprise, stumbling to his feet.

“Just pick something. You lead, I’ll follow!” the dark-haired woman laughed, slipping her fingers into his and dropping her hand on his shoulder. “We can just turn in a circle, for all I care. Just…have fun! I’m trying to make up for the Christmases that I didn’t know you!”

Adrien blinked at her dumbly, but then all he could do was laugh, beaming as he squeezed her fingers and placed a hand on her waist.

“As my princess demands,” he couldn’t resist the quip, and she just laughed as he started to lead. His steps were peppy and upbeat, matching with whatever Christmas tune was playing on her radio, and she tossed her head back and laughed again. The next song was also fairly upbeat, and he adjusted his made up steps just slightly to match. Mari followed his lead with astounding grace, and he took the opportunity, in the lull of a commercial break and a Santa update, to let her spin.

“Having fun yet?” she asked, breathlessly, when she spun back into the circle of his arms.

“Almost,” he responded, a chuckle escaping as they continued to dance. Her laugh rang once again, and he felt so incredibly happy. He almost missed the announcement that midnight was nigh, but when he heard it, he was just happier. What better way to start his Christmas than this?

When the music came back and a slower song played, the duo once more adjusted accordingly. Adrien found himself leading her through the familiar steps of a waltz and, in particular, the one that they had danced together earlier that night. But this time, it was a thousand times better because they really _were_ the only ones in the room.

They glided through her living room, Tikki watching them from where she curled up in an armchair, and Adrien felt like he was dancing on air once again. Without really knowing what he was doing, he pulled her in closer, his hand resting at the small of her back. She only smiled at him, disarmingly, as they spun around each other. He felt the way her dress caressed his legs when they turned, the way her fingers squeezed his own just slightly, and he was lost in the sparkling lights of her eyes.

The music played on, but he felt as if the world came to a standstill as his steps slowed. By the time their spinning had ceased, the designer’s hand on his shoulder had made its way to his neck, curling gently around the back of it, her fingertips lightly threaded through the hair at the nape of his neck. He had pulled even closer, so close that their chests were touching, and he could feel her breath on his skin. Her lips were parted gently, and a light flush was dusting her cheeks, but she didn’t look away.

It happened so quickly that he would have missed it if he hadn’t been thinking along the same lines.

Her blue eyes flicked, briefly, down to his lips.

And Adrien couldn’t resist the insistent urge any longer. His fingers tightened around hers, his hand on her back drawing her even closer, almost in warning, as he angled his head and leaned slowly in. Her fingers curled against his neck and she lifted her chin, a shaky breath escaping, before her eyes fluttered closed. A heartbeat later, and Adrien let his own lids fall as he finally, _finally_ , captured her lips with his.

The first touch was like fire, racing down his spine and filling him with heat. Involuntarily, he started to pull her closer, his fingers lightly digging into the fabric of her dress. But her hand on his neck was equally as anxious to pull him closer, because he felt the pressure pulling him in, and he gave in. The next few seconds were like a storm, his emotions roiling inside like they could combust at any moment. He never wanted this moment to end but, at the same time, he wanted to pull away so he could tell her that she was his everything. And then the last few moments were just _happiness_ , as he slowly pulled himself away and forced himself to open his eyes even though he just wanted to kiss her again. He watched her eyelashes flutter before she fully opened her eyes, her lips still parted softly in surprise as her blue eyes searched his face.

Their clasped hands came undone, slowly, and he brought his hand up to gently cup her cheek.

“ _Marinette_ …” he scarcely managed to speak, her name ghosting past his lips, and then he didn’t know how to continue. Her free hand came to rest on his chest, and she slid the other down to join it as she looked up at him with her wide, starlight eyes.

“ _Adrien_ ,” she breathed back, softly. He could feel the heat from her blush and it gave him confidence that even _Chat Noir_ wouldn’t have been able to give him.

“Marinette…would you like to get dinner with me sometime?”

Her eyes widened just a little, but then, with a crooked smile, she asked, “Would you like to join my family for Christmas?”

Adrien laughed—a real, genuine laugh from somewhere deep down—and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, just where he had the first time. And, with a wide grin down at the shyly smiling _angel_ in his arms, he breathed, “I’d love to.”

Her hands reached up to cup his face then, and a deep red colored her cheeks as she managed to say, in a voice that trembled from emotion, “Merry Christmas, Adrien.”

Before he could reply, she was pulling him into another kiss, and Adrien let himself _fall._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOD.
> 
> FINALLY!
> 
> I was actually fangirling so hard that writing this chapter was incredibly hard. You have no idea! But I hope you enjoy it, and I now say, with some rather shaky confidence, that chapter 8 is going to be the last. Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think, either here on on my tumblr, panda013.tumblr.com!!! And if you draw any fanart or anything, please post on tumblr and tag me! I love seeing everything! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was more amusing than it should have been, the designer decided, watching as Adrien tried to adjust to the warm welcome from her father. She knew it wasn’t something he was used to, but she couldn’t help but feel that he deserved all the warmth and love that her family would undoubtedly offer. And it made her happy to know that she could help to give him that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANNOUNCEMENT:
> 
> You may have noticed that the chapter number changed...again. That's because, as I was writing what was going to be the 8th and final chapter, I got a fabulous idea that I can't not write in. And on top of that, the events that happen in this almost 11K chapter don't even make up HALF of what the chapter was originally supposed to be. So Tikki's New Friend will now have two additional chapters for all of that fluffy goodness coming up!

As the midnight hour ticked onward, Adrien found himself once more twirling around Marinette’s living room, drunk on happiness as she laughed in the circle of his arms. The way her giddiness was diffused across her features only made his heart warm, the flush in her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes sending him over the edge. How could any one woman make him so incredibly warm, just by being so full of joy?

What had he ever done to deserve her?

Though it was still fresh, the unspoken bonds of their new relationship were there, waxing stronger with every second they danced, with every moment their eyes locked together, with every smile they shared and with each time one of them drew the other in for a kiss. He could feel it in the way she held onto him, the pull of her fingers gentle but firm, threading into his hair and tugging him closer, in the way that she reacted when he did the same in return. And in the way that her eyes glimmered with joy, outshining every star in the sky, overflowing with glee and filled with so much love that his heart was bursting.

When the duo made their way back to the sofa, giggling, to finish off their lukewarm coffee, she curled into his side, closer than ever before, and he relished the fact that he now needn’t hesitate to drop his arm around her shoulders. So he did just that, pulling her closer and pressing his cheek against her hair with a smile.

“Thank you, Marinette,” the blond’s voice was soft and his tone sincere. “For everything.”

“No,” she pulled her head out from under his, smiling up at him with rosy cheeks, “I should thank _you,_ Adrien. I had an amazing night…I’m _still_ having an amazing night,” her blue eyes flicked away, shyly, and his heart leapt, “and it’s all because of you. So thank you, again and again, for everything.”

He brushed her fringe away from her forehead then, smiling as he leaned forward to press a lingering kiss in the same spot he had first kissed, all those weeks ago. Beneath his touch, the petite designer leaned into him, and he heard a soft, contented sigh from her parted lips.

Adrien found himself dreading the moment he would have to leave and go home to his cold apartment, where only his cat would welcome him. His time with Marinette, however brief, had suddenly become his entire world and he was loathe to leave the comfort of her presence behind. There was just something about her, a certain something that screamed _warmth_ and drew him in. And as if he wasn’t in deep enough already, and even though he already didn’t want to leave, her slender fingers slipped behind his neck and drew him in again, to the taste of coffee and some long forgotten baked treat and the remnants of their several glasses of champagne, and he gave himself to her readily.

A low gurgle and a distinct feeling in his stomach made the model flush as both parties pulled away from the kiss. Mari blinked up at him with her wide blue eyes, and then giggled softly.

“Hungry, kitty cat?” she teased.

“We never actually ate a meal at the party,” he responded, fumblingly. “Y-you must be hungry, too.” Which meant, he realized, that his time was up. He’d have to leave shortly to get his own food and go back to his apartment. Plagg would probably be angry that he hadn’t had any cheese for the last several hours, though Adrien still couldn’t understand the feline’s obsession with the stuff. “I should also probably go, to feed Plagg…is there a specific time you want to meet up?”

He really didn’t want to leave, so it was with much reluctance that he pushed himself away from her, tucking her hair behind her ear. As luck would have it, Marinette was able to solve his problem before he’d even thought about voicing it, and in a way he wouldn’t have even dared suggesting.

“W-well, if you wanted to g-go home to grab a few things, I could order takeout and it would probably be here by the time you got back?” her voice was small, and Adrien could have sworn he’d heard her wrong until she finished, “It would be e-easier than trying to meet up tomorrow, since my p-parents are kind of unpredictable about when they start things on Christmas morning. And we can w-watch a holiday movie while we eat. Y-you can even bring Plagg back with you, if you like. I’m sure Tikki would like that.”

As if in response, Tikki let out a soft yip, almost like she knew that their neighbors could be sleeping, but Adrien wasn’t paying attention to the Newfoundland. His eyes were drawn only to Marinette.

She wasn’t looking at him, but he couldn’t stop staring at her.

The flush was traveling down her neck, her expressive eyes turned down and fixed on her hands, which she had lowered to her lap. The model was at a complete loss for words and the silence seemed to stretch between them. It stretched until suddenly Adrien knew he had to say something, _anything_ , to let her know that he _wanted_ to stay, to come back and spend more time with her, and he coped the only way he knew how.

“Only if there’s Chinese takeout in the deal,” he topped it off with a flirtatious wink.

 _Oh, God, what was he thinking? What if she didn’t even want Chinese food tonight? What if—_ he stopped when their eyes met, hers shining with a hopefulness he hadn’t expected, and a slow grin stretched across her face.

“I know the perfect place to get Chinese at this hour,” she responded, and he wondered how she was suddenly so casual when his heart was racing at a thousand miles a minute. “I have a menu, too, if you want to see it? It’s in my studio.”

Marinette started pushing herself to her feet and he pushed himself up after her almost instantly.

“A menu would be great,” he agreed, ignoring her insistence that she could get the brochure on her own and trailing behind her as she made her way to retrieve it. Her bare feet made no sound against her floor, like her long discarded heels would have, but she didn’t need the shoes to still look amazing in that dress.

When he surged forward to lace their fingers together, she squeezed back, giggling and giving up on her already weak protests. He wondered, briefly, if it was because she, too, enjoyed having him at her side.

As they drew nearer to her studio, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar, and when she pushed it open he thought he knew why. There were still signs of preparations all around her vanity, and even a few coats draped haphazardly over the backs of a couple of chairs. He appreciated now, even more fully than before, how well she had chosen her entire ensemble for the evening.

She had certainly made a splash, though she had seemed a little hesitant to admit it, and Adrien was incredibly proud of her accomplishments. For her designs to stand in a room of that caliber, and to be complimented by designers themselves, was outstanding.

She was, to put it simply, the most amazing woman he’d ever known.

…and she was trying to hand him a takeout pamphlet with concerned look on her face. He snapped out of his stupor, wondering when she had slipped her hand from his to go retrieve the menu tacked to her bulletin board with some half-finished sketches and other delivery information.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, smiling at her, and she just sighed in an exaggerated manner and slipped her hand into his, tugging him back out of the room and flicking the light off on the way.

“Don’t apologize,” she told him gently. “Just find out what you’re going to order! I’m starting to get really hungry now!”

“Told you so!”

The new couple shared looks and started laughing even as Adrien spun Marinette around and into his arms, wrapping her tightly in his embrace before picking her up and spinning again. She squealed softly, her hands wrapping tightly around his shoulders, and he couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up from deep within his chest. In his arms, she was breathless but beaming, and she bestowed a light kiss on his cheek before he released her and allowed her to lead him back to the sofa.

When they tumbled back onto the sofa together, the petite woman leaned over to look at the menu with him. Adrien let his arm fall back around her shoulders, and she glanced up at him with a smile before returning her gaze to the paper in his hand.

“I can’t tell you how many times Alya and I have shared this,” Mari giggled softly, pointing to one of the menu items. The meal was just a serving of sweet and sour chicken and lo mein that could serve two. “She’ll be over working on a deadline, and I’ll be making my next _Ladybug_ design and one of us will realize that we forgot to eat. We both have the numbers saved in our cell phones because of it.”

“I don’t blame you. I think this is the place Nino recommended once,” Adrien leaned his head over on top of hers, turning to look at the items on the back of the brochure. “It was some of the best takeout I’ve had!”

“Exactly!” Marinette laughed, “So pick what you want to try!”

“Why don’t we just get what you and Alya usually share?” he suggested, tapping the item. “It sounds good to me, and if you order it so often, I’m sure it’s worth it.”

When he glanced down to her, she looked at him as if trying to decide whether he was just humoring her or whether he was honestly interested in the item he’d indicated. If he was true to himself, he would have to admit that his intentions were a combination of both. So he just grinned at her as innocently as possible, and finally Marinette sighed with a soft smile of her own.

“If that’s _really_ what you want,” she conceded.

“It is,” he confirmed quickly, squeezing her shoulder gently and passing her the menu, if only to distract her while he pulled out his phone to dial the number himself. She took the brochure from him, leaning into his embrace for a moment, and by the time she pulled back to speak to him—probably ab out ordering—he had already managed to punch the number in and had just lifted his phone to his ear.

“Oh my God, Adrien, you _didn’t_ ,” she accused instantly, discarding the menu on the end table near her. He just grinned and she frowned. Adrien could see her contemplating the attempt to take the phone from him, but just then they picked up and he was able to start speaking. Marinette’s shoulders sagged in defeat and she let out a sigh.

“Yes, hello, I’d like to place an order for delivery?”

The blond quickly gave the order and also his card information, to the petite designer’s chagrin. And when he finally hung up, putting his phone down, he playfully winked at her and her cheeks puffed out in her frustration.

“Why did you do that?” she demanded, though not in true anger.

“Because if I didn’t, it would probably come while I was gone and, even if I left money to pay for it, you’d probably pay and find a way to give my money back,” the model retorted, using a matter-of-fact tone that made her blink and then sigh in defeat.

“You did so much for me tonight, though,” she grumbled.

As he stood, preparing to head to his apartment for his things, he stooped and left another light kiss on her forehead. When he pulled back, he smiled at her and said, “You’ve done so much more for me than you realize, Marinette.”

She flushed lightly, opening her mouth and then closing it a few times in rapid succession before she pushed herself to his feet to follow him to the door. He heard her soft footsteps behind him and grinned softly to himself as he paused for his coat. He turned around to face her and she reached up to straighten his coat a little with gentle hands. She looked up at him and bit her lip lightly before she finally managed, “I-I have extra pillows and blankets, so you d-don’t have to worry about that. And I have some old k-kitty litter from when Alya and her cat shared the apartment with me, so you really _can_ bring Plagg over if you want to.”

The way the red on her cheeks had spread was so incredibly endearing, and the blond felt his already soft heart melt even further. Adrien couldn’t believe this woman—how could she be so sexy and alluring, but at the same time show such a gentle and _adorable_ side? He just wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her out, if only to protect her from the rest of the world.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Princess,” he beamed at her, and she giggled a little. Marinette glanced up at him through her thick lashes and, almost shyly, placed her hand on his shoulder to lean up and leave a light kiss on his jaw.

“Stay warm and come back soon,” she smiled, a teasing gleam in her eyes. “If you don’t, your food might get cold!”

Adrien laughed, leaning forward to press his own lips to her cheek. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised, a giddy feeling rising in his chest. Just the thought of coming back to her apartment was enough to make him smile, even though he would be sleeping on the couch.

Even with the knowledge that he’d soon be back, it was hard for the model to slip out the door, but he did so, shooting a text to the Gorilla as he bid his temporary farewell to Marinette.

* * *

 

Marinette watched the blond model disappear around the corner, heading for the elevators, before she slipped back into her apartment. There was a coil of nervousness in the pit of her stomach, but there was also excitement.

The best night of her life, and it still wasn’t over yet.

The petite designer giggled and spun in a circle, arms held out and head tossed back, dancing to a melody only she could hear. Marinette felt as if she was dancing among the clouds. Her heart was light and free, and she wasn’t sure that she had ever felt such complete joy before.

First, she had been able to attend the biggest fashion event of the season, and then even the VIP after party on the arm of a top model, and then _this_. She had invited him in for coffee, knowing that it was a weird request as late as it had been, but he had accepted. And then somehow she had convinced him to dance with her, in her living room, to the sounds of Christmas tunes. Marinette was still dazed at what had transpired next, but she couldn’t stop grinning.

Adrien Agreste had kissed her.

The same Adrien Agreste that she’d had an unhealthy crush on in her school days, back before she had ever met him as an adult. The same blond model that she had been working with for almost two months and had been pining after for probably just as long, if not longer, had _kissed_ her, and then invited her out for dinner.

How she’d managed to ask him to spend _Christmas_ with her _family_ so soon after that, she still wasn’t sure. They still hadn’t completely defined whatever this new relationship was, but the way he had smiled when he’d accepted her invitation and the look he wore whenever their eyes met had convinced her that it was something she wanted. That it was _everything_ she had _ever_ wanted.

Marinette was only thankful that her parents were always accommodating and loving, no matter what happened. They had always trusted her to make her own decisions, and they still asked about Adrien almost every time she helped out in the bakery, so she figured that they would be pretty ecstatic that their suspicions were finally gratified—well, mostly. Regardless, she had already sent a text to her mother, shortly after he had agreed to join them, and she knew that the older woman would see it when she first woke up in the morning and would know to prepare a little extra. She always did, anyway.

Not to mention how happy Alya would be at the news—but she wouldn’t bug her just yet. She didn’t want to wake her up while she was on vacation, after all.

Another giggle escaped as she stumblingly stopped spinning. Her dress swished around her feet, and she realized that she should probably change. Marinette glanced quickly at her clock, noticed that she had at least twenty minutes before the delivery could possibly arrive, and dashed to her room for a change of clothes. A shower would probably be a very, _very_ good idea.

But first…she quickly stripped out of her dress and pulled on sweatpants and a sweatshirt, calling for Tikki. The large dog whined and wagged her tail as Marinette shrugged on a coat and offered the Newfoundland her leash. Tikki immediately brightened, and Marinette scratched her ears.

“Sorry, girl, I’m sure you have to go to the bathroom! It’s been what, four and a half hours, hasn’t it?”

Tikki whined again, and the duo quickly made their way to the nearby park, the petite young woman doing her best to ignore the cold. The large beast of a dog did her business, ran around a little, and then the two of them quickly made their way back to the apartment. Marinette shrugged out of her coat and made her way to the bathroom in a rush.

Before she had finished removing her makeup, however, she heard her phone chime from the living room. She rushed from her bathroom, pulling hairpins out as she went, and rummaged in her coat pocket for her phone. When she saw that it was a text from Adrien, she fumbled to open it as she slipped back into the bathroom. Once the door had closed behind her again, she focused her eyes on the screen and finally started to read the message.

Warmth began to spread from her chest, and she had to hold onto the counter for balance as cheerful laughter exploded, echoing around her in the small space.

_Okay so this was going to be hard for me to ask in person and even though I really wanted to, I just had to know the answer as soon as possible so bear with me, okay??? But tonight has been fantastic so far and I THINK that we’re together but I wanted to make sure so Marinette, will you be my girlfriend??_

“He’s so _cute_ ,” she squeaked aloud, trying to stifle her mirth. But her happiness prevented her from being able to hold it in, and it took her a few moments before she thought herself composed enough to reply.

With shaking fingers, she typed her response.

_I’d love to be your girlfriend, Adrien._

At the end of the message, before she could stop herself, she added the kiss emoji and clicked send. She finished removing her makeup while she waited, hopefully, for a response, and then she finished pulling out the pins that held her hair in place. The light hairspray had weakened and her stiff strands fell around her neck, itchy and uncomfortable. Despite that, though, Marinette’s pleasant mood could not be swayed.

Putting a name to her relationship with Adrien put her at ease, just a little. Now she knew it wasn’t just this one time, although she’d already suspected there was more from the start. It made her feel even lighter than she had earlier, and she didn’t think she’d be able to wipe the goofy smile off her face at any point in the near future.

When her shirt was tossed to the counter for after the shower, she finally received a new text. At the simple message, she smiled to herself and typed her answer before continuing to disrobe and slipping into the shower.

_From Adrien: Thank you <3_

_To Adrien: I should be thanking you <3_

The only thought running through her mind while she showered, toweled herself dry, and pulled on some comfortable sleepwear, was the giddy realization that Adrien was her _boyfriend_. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was _dating_ _Adrien Agreste_.

She stifled a squeal in her couch pillow and waited for two very different knocks at the door.

* * *

 

When he sent the first message, Adrien was completely frazzled.

It was a question he’d wanted to know the answer to but had been unable to ask, instead inviting her out to dinner and then accepting her invitation to join the Dupain-Cheng household for Christmas. But he had to know, and his trembling fingers had finally won out. The wait for her response was agony, and he filled his phone’s silence with packing his bag in the hopes that her answer would come back positive and his invitation to return to her apartment would remain valid. Her apartment was warmth, her presence the embodiment of all the joy he’d ever felt, and Adrien didn’t want to lose it.

And when the answer came through, even though he had hoped, he was still unprepared. Even if he couldn’t see her, he was positive that her face had taken on a lovely flush at the face she’d attached, and a laugh forced itself through his lips. It had taken him a while to compose himself enough to send another message back, but the feeling blooming in his chest only continued to spread.

The blond found himself still smiling at the screen fifteen minutes later as he took the pet carrier into one hand and prepared to pick up his bag. His hair was damp from a quick shower and he pulled his hood up over his head to prepare for the blast of cold. With one last dazed grin, he slipped his phone into the pocket opposite the one that held his wallet and keys and picked up the small bag he’d prepared, pulling the single strap over one shoulder.

One last glance around his apartment to assure himself that he had everything he needed, and then the model turned off the lights, picked up the small box containing gifts for Marinette and her family, and headed out the door. He made sure to lock it behind him, and then, with a bounce in his step, he was off to his waiting car.

If Gorilla was amused or confused or felt anything about Adrien’s cheer or the fact that he was going _back_ to the petite woman’s apartment, he kept it to himself. Though, if he was honest with himself, the model almost wanted his driver to comment just so he could gush like a teenage boy again. He _felt_ like a teenage boy again, after all, and it was all because of the beautiful woman he could now call his _girlfriend._

 _Girlfriend_.

The word had never had such a nice ring to it than it did when he used it with the image of Marinette in his mind.

“If I’m being too cheesy, Plagg, I blame you,” he teased, scratching the cat’s ears through the door of the pet carrier. The feline cocked his head and meowed, loudly, and pushed against his owner’s fingers. Even Plagg was being nice to him, so he knew there wasn’t anything that could make this night better. He chuckled and moved his finger beneath the green-eyed cat’s chin, and a broken, rumbling purr began.

Absent-mindedly, Adrien watched the city lights pass by outside the window. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass, of the way that his happiness flooded his features, and his cheer only grew. He couldn’t help but feel that, if this was a side of him that only Marinette ever got to see, he wouldn’t mind. She _had_ been the one to cause it, after all, so it was fitting that she be the one that experienced it alongside him.

“We have arrived.”

The voice jerked the blond from his thoughts, and he glanced quickly from Gorilla to the window to find that they were, indeed, right in front of Marinette’s apartment building. Adrien laughed and thanked the big, beefy driver, opening the car door. Before slipping out, he turned to meet Gorilla’s eyes and repeated, “Thank you so much for tonight. I know it’s really late, and it’s Christmas, so please take the day off. You’ve done so much for me and I want you to enjoy the holiday with your family. I know how much you love the season.”

Adrien’s eyes trailed cheekily to the holly and tinsel that decorated the rearview mirror, and Gorilla beamed at him. His snowman tie shined brightly against his darker suit, and finally the older man chuckled, a deep rumble that started in his chest and escaped as a gleeful sound. The model felt even more delight at the sight.

“Thank you, son,” the words were gentle, Gorilla’s tone earnest. “Have a great Christmas.”

“I will,” the blond responded without hesitation. “You be sure to do the same!”

He nodded, and Adrien waved as he finally grabbed the handle of Plagg’s carrier and pulled his bag back to his shoulder. Once again, he took the box up last, carefully, and closed the car door with his foot before looking back to the building that housed his happiness.

“Let’s go, Plagg.”

A meow was returned, and Adrien laughed, making his way for the doors.

* * *

 

Marinette looked at the setup with a careful eye, wondering if it was too much. She had made some tea instead of coffee, to better match their Chinese takeout, and had pulled the coffee table over closer to the couch for the food. A pile of blankets and pillows was ready and waiting, and her television was dialed to a cheesy station that would play Christmas movies and programs all day. Their food, which had come just moments before, was already waiting on the coffee table, as was the tray with her teapot and teacups.

She was antsy, that was certain, but it was in a good way. Her calves were chilly from where her baggy, pink athletic capris ceased to cover, but her feet were warm because she had on matching pink socks. Her damp hair cascaded around her face as she bustled about, her loose but warm grey sweatshirt hanging low on her shoulders and allowing the chilly strands to stick to skin. After a few minutes of this, the designer pulled her hair back in a messy bun before smiling to herself.

“Tikki, can you believe it?” Marinette giggled, spinning in a circle before dropping to pet the Newfoundland that had been following her around. “Adrien’s my _boyfriend_ now, Tikki. I’m his _girlfriend_. I’m so excited!”

Tikki yipped, softly, and nuzzled her owner’s cheek. The designer wrapped her arms tightly around her gentle giant and ruffled her fur, laughing. Whenever she was happy, the dog reflected the cheer, as she was doing now. Tikki’s tail was wagging furiously, and she bounced away from Marinette to spin in a circle, full of energy at the petite woman’s cheerfulness. She couldn’t help but laugh again at the big black beast’s playfulness as she pushed herself to her feet and Tikki dropped to her stomach, looking up with wide eyes.

Her entire behind was shaking from the force of her wagging tail.

“Shhhh, Tikki,” Marinette shushed, giggling softly as her hound started bouncing around, her large paws thudding dully on the floor. “It’s late and we need to be quiet!”

The designer made her way to the sink to finish washing her dishes then, and Tikki whined softly, though she did venture to Marinette’s side to nuzzle her elbow. She plopped herself down at the woman’s feet, wagging her tail, and just watched curiously as Marinette washed and dried the dishes before stepping around the canine to put them away. Once done, she reached down to scratch Tikki behind the ears one more time before washing her hands and heading back to the couch.

Before she could make it, there was a knock at the door, and Marinette’s excitement rose. She felt almost as though she would combust from the combination on nervousness and elation that settled in her chest.

Leaving Tikki behind her with a quick scratch behind the ears, the petite designer rushed for the door. She spared only a second to confirm that it was, in fact, Adrien Agreste on the other side via the peephole, and then opened it with as much composure as she could muster. Regardless, though, she knew that the expression on her face brightened when her blue eyes met his green ones, twinkling from beneath the hood of his coat as she stepped aside to let him in.

“Welcome back,” she breathed, closing the door behind him. She carefully locked it, since it was late and they wouldn’t need to leave again with any luck, and turned to find him carefully depositing a box in the chair by the door.

“Thanks,” he smiled back, sliding a bag off his shoulder as his hood tumbled from his head. The bag went beside the box, which contained a few wrapped packages. “It’s good to be back.”

“Can I help with anything?” she gestured to the pet carrier, which Tikki was already sniffing excitedly and had nearly knocked the blond over in her excitement to see the cat. A meow came from within the box, and she nuzzled the bars lightly. Marinette grinned when she saw the feline inside nudge Tikki with his nose, meowing again.

“I think I’ve got this,” he grinned, kneeling with the carrier. “I can let him out, yeah?”

“Of course!” the designer knelt too, dropping an arm around her easily excitable canine as Adrien popped open the door to Plagg’s carrier. The cat shot out, barreling into Tikki’s legs and winding around them instantly, rubbing his cheek against her. Marinette snorted at the instant reaction and held her hand out for him. Plagg blinked, glanced up at her, and strode over, pushing his face insistently into her palm. “Hello, kitty cat,” she scratched beneath his chin, cooing softly. “It’s been a while since we saw you!”

As if he knew she was talking to him, the cat meowed, and Adrien laughed and ran a finger down his spine. The black feline’s back arched and the brief rumble of a purr sounded before he stopped again, shaking his head and causing the bell at his collar to jingle.

“You mentioned you had a litter box?” the model’s voice broke into her thoughts, and Marinette looked up as he pushed himself to his feet and held out a hand to her. She smiled and accepted it, following as he gently tugged her to her feet, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead. It was the first contact since their relationship had been defined, and it made the fuzzy feeling within her grow even stronger.

“Yes! I’ve already prepped it. It’s in the bathroom in the studio, since fewer people use that one. It’s where we kept it when Alya and her cat lived here, too.”

Instead of releasing his hand, she used it to pull him with her. He paused to scoop up his cat, who immediately mewled his displeasure, and then they headed to the studio to show Plagg the litterbox. Adrien glanced warily around the apartment, as if looking for anything that his cat might conceivably mess up, and Marinette just grinned softly to herself when the blond’s fingers tightened around her own.

“Here’s the bathroom, Plagg,” Adrien stooped to place his unwilling passenger on the floor next to the covered litterbox, and the cat pawed at it briefly before lifting his tail in the air and walking back past the two humans. Marinette couldn’t help but laugh at the way he flicked his tail back and forth, and Adrien groaned. “You’re such a rude thing, aren’t you?”

“He’s precious,” the designer retorted as the feline wound himself about her legs, rubbing his cheek against her calf. She stooped to scratch behind his ears. “Aren’t you, Plagg?”

 _Meow_.

Adrien let out an exaggerated sigh and she laughed, standing up straight to look at him. She could see him eyeing the black cat warily, and an absurd thought popped into her head. Marinette couldn’t stifle her snort in time and the blond turned to her curiously as she quickly covered her mouth.

“He’s misleading you, I swear,” the model promised, tone serious but a grin twitching the corners of his lips. “What’s so funny?”

“If I didn’t know any better, kitty cat,” her tone was teasing, and her voice shook from trying to contain herself, but Marinette forged on, “I’d say you were jealous…of your own cat.”

He colored slightly, blinking, but she saw the subtle shift as he stepped over to her. He was all sexy smirks and suave attitude now, and the designer knew the back of her neck was already burning as his fingers wove between her own and he leaned over to murmur in her ear, “And what if I am?”

Head reeling, Marinette could only giggle as she reached up with her free hand and lightly pushed him away by the nose. Her tone was just as playful as before when words finally formed and she quipped, “Even if you are, I’d tell you that the food was going to get cold if we kept putting it off. Or Tikki and Plagg will get to it first.”

“It’s here?” he blinked, in honest surprise, and the petite woman nodded, pulling him back through her studio by their laced hands. “Well, I mean, of course it is, I smelled it when we walked in,” he fumbled slightly, laughing at himself as he squeezed her fingers lightly.

“I also made some tea,” she supplied, returning the pressure as the couple passed the curious cat as he sniffed at the bottom of one of Marinette’s empty mannequins. His tail was whipping the air as Tikki nudged him lightly in the side, and he turned to nuzzle her back momentarily.

Maybe she should have been worried. Even the most well-trained animals would sometimes wreak havoc when they were in a new place, after all, so she should have been especially concerned with her studio. Since the bulk of her projects were currently stowed away, though, she wasn’t as cautious as she might have been. It had been a good night, and she didn’t have any deadlines looming, so she wouldn’t be particularly miffed if anything was roughed up. She could just start over, after all…although, a wicked side of her idly mused, Adrien’s reactions to what his cat might do were great fun for her to imagine.

Almost before Marinette could gather her thoughts, they were heading for the couch. She tugged him with her, focusing on the situation at hand with a soft smile and gesturing at the food.

“It looks amazing,” he groaned, flopping down on the sofa beside her. As he spoke, a low rumble sounded and a light pink graced his cheeks. Marinette tried, and failed, to stifle her giggle. “And I might be a little hungry.”

“Dig in,” she nudged him lightly, handing him one of the plates she’d grabbed. He took the plate with a smile and reached for one of the sets of chopsticks. Marinette followed suit, filling her plate as Adrien finished filling his. Jokingly, she announced, “If this isn’t what you wanted, you only have yourself to blame, since you just went with what Alya and I usually get!”

“I’m sure it’s fantastic,” he retorted, pointing at her playfully with his chopsticks. “In fact, I’m just about to find out!”

“You do that,” she giggled, “and I’ll pour the tea!”

He harrumphed playfully, but did take a small piece of chicken carefully between his chopsticks, popping it into his mouth. The blond gave a soft hum of approval and went in for another as Marinette pushed his cup of tea towards him, pouring her own. Once done, she leaned back on the couch after sipping at her tea, and tucked into her meal, pulling one foot beneath her on the couch as she settled.

While they ate, they bantered playfully and at least one piece of chicken fell on the floor to be cleaned up nearly immediately by an overeager Newfoundland. Marinette had lightly scolded Tikki but gave in to her puppy eyes and scratched her snout apologetically only a moment later. Adrien teased her about it and she shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth to silence him, flushing lightly as she turned to focus on the television. Or _pretend_ to focus, as Adrien leaned over to steal her bite of lo mein when it was halfway to her mouth, grinning. She rolled her eyes at him, leaning forward to drop a light kiss on his nose, her cheeks still prone to flushing at the easy proximity between them, and his grin just widened as he pulled away to chew.

She giggled softly at the way his cheeks puffed out and, in revenge, plucked a piece of chicken from his plate with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth before he could react. He chuckled, reaching for his tea, and she grinned and snuggled back into the couch cushions to eat what remained on her plate. He followed suit with a playful nudge to her elbow, nearly making her miss her mouth with her next bite, and she stuck her tongue out, ever the essence of maturity, before once more turning her attention to the old Christmas film on the television.

Before long, Marinette found it impossible to eat anymore and Adrien had run into the same problem, leaning forward to put his plate on top of hers as he dropped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his side, humming contentedly, as the commercial break ended and the titles for a new movie started to play.

“Oh, I haven’t seen this movie in a while,” she remarked softly, laughing a little. _Elf_ was just one of those films, after all.

“I’m not sure I’ve seen it…?” Adrien offered, pulling her closer. She acquiesced willingly, sliding an arm behind him.

“Well, that _has_ to change!” the designer declared, reaching for the remote to turn up the volume before discarding it again. “It’s one of my dad’s favorites, so we watched it a lot around Christmas when I lived at home.”

“I think Nino likes it, too,” the model mused. “He mentioned it a few days ago, before he and Alya left for her business retreat.”

“He and Dad can quote it back and forth for hours if you let them,” Marinette giggled. With a playful, wary look at Adrien from the corner of her eye, she joked, “And I’m sure that after you’ve seen it, you won’t be able to keep yourself from joining in.”

If she had learned anything from their friendship, it was definitely that this _dork_ would probably love this movie. He was friends with Nino for a reason, after all…but so was she.

“I can’t wait,” he winked in response, and she let her head fall against his shoulder with a playful groan. After only a few moments, the blond reached for a blanket at his side with his free hand, shaking it out and tossing it over the two of them with a grin. Marinette laughed softly and reached out to adjust it better around herself as Adrien did the same, and then she curled even closer to his side and turned her attention to the film.

The sounds of his laughter were the best possible way to end this already perfect night, and safe and warm in the comfort of his embrace, sleep finally overtook her.

* * *

 

It was a funny movie. Adrien really enjoyed parts of it, and he knew he’d have to watch it with Nino so that they could talk about it. But what made it best was the warmth he felt here, in Marinette’s apartment, on her couch, with the girl herself snuggling into his side. The blanket they shared trapped him in cocoon of comfort, and he couldn’t help but lean slightly into the petite woman next to him, as if he could share more warmth by increasing their proximity.

But he was so comfortable, and the slow, even sounds of her breathing were so soothing, that he felt his eyelids growing heavy. He wanted to watch the rest of the film, because it was cheery and fun and it made him laugh, but his ability to focus dwindled. His cheek met her hair as his head drooped, and the sights and sounds of the room slipped away.

All he could see were the stars in her eyes and all he could feel was content.

When his eyes opened next, it was because of the insistent ringing of a cell phone. At first, the blinking Christmas lights on the ceiling confused him, but the buzzing was probably more important. It didn’t sound like his usual ringtone, and he asked himself, dazedly, if he’d set an alarm. But then he propped himself up on an elbow and looked around the room, and the previous night came rushing back to him.

And the sight that met him sent a rush of warmth through his body.

Sleeping soundly, head on his chest, was the most angelic woman he’d ever met. Marinette’s dark hair had spread out across his chest, framing her sleeping face, and he could feel her legs tangled with his. Adrien had no idea how they’d ended up like this, in this position, but the emotions that coursed through him assured him that he wanted this… _he liked this_.

But the buzzing phone needed to be answered, and he didn’t feel comfortable doing it for her, so he reached up to gentle grab her shoulder.

“Marinette, wake up,” he spoke softly but urgently, shaking her gently. He didn’t want to startle her, but he could assume the call was important. He saw her eyebrows contract, pulling together, and watched her eyelids pinching as she slowly pushed herself up a little. “ _Marinette_ , your phone,” he tried again, and her eyes blinked open.

As she tried to focus her eyes, Adrien felt the breath leave his lungs.

She blinked slowly, her arm sliding across his chest so that she could cover her yawn, and then, after a few moments, she squinted at him. Her blue eyes, still cloudy with sleep, were just as beautiful as they had been, twinkling under her holiday lights last night, and words failed him. He watched them widen, alertness spreading through the designer’s features as she realized the situation. Her mouth dropped open in silent surprise, but she closed it quickly, holding his gaze as he struggled to remember why he’d had to wake her up.

The sudden cease of the pesky buzzing that had woken him up left them in silence and Marinette gasped, jerking her head towards the coffee table.

“ _Mom_ ,” she breathed, pushing lightly against him to reach for her phone, sitting up as she did so. Adrien also pushed himself up, yawning and placing a light hand on her hip as she pulled back to the couch with her phone in hand. “I’m calling her back now!”

“Y-yeah, go ahead,” Adrien managed, shifting so that he could put at least one of his feet on the floor. Doing so with the other was impossible with Marinette sitting between his legs, her feet curled under her. She glanced up at him, almost shyly, and he leaned forward to drop his chin on her shoulder with a grin. She smiled back, craning her neck to place a soft kiss on his cheek, as she clicked the _call back_ button beside her mother’s number.

With his proximity, he could hear the sound of her mother’s phone ringing and even when Sabine picked up.

“ _Morning, honey! Did I wake you up_?” the distorted voice was cheerful.

“Sorry _, Maman_!” Marinette had to stifle another yawn, and Adrien tried not to chuckle.

“ _Don’t apologize, Marinette_!” her mother laughed. “ _I’ve just started breakfast. It’ll be ready when the two of you finally get out of bed and make it over here._ ”

Adrien felt his face growing warm, and had to put his fist to his mouth to stifle his laughter at the squeaky sound that his girlfriend made in response. He slipped his forehead to the back of her shoulder, and she leaned against him, stuttering into the receiver as she tried to talk to her mother. The chuckle finally fell from his lips and Marinette sighed in defeat.

“We’ll get around soon, Mom,” she promised, and the older woman laughed on the other end of the line.

“ _We’ll see you in a while, then! And tell Adrien I said good morning!_ ”

“Good morning,” he murmured against the petite designer’s shoulder, and he heard a chuckle from the phone. So she _had_ heard him.

“Oh, also,” Marinette’s voice had the tone of something just remembered, “you’re still fine with me bringing Tikki, right?”

“ _Of course!_ ”

“Would you have a problem if we also brought Adrien’s cat, Plagg? I don’t want him to be alone all day. It’s _Christmas_. He’s a lovely cat, really, and he’s fairly well behaved when he’s with Tikki, so I don’t think there will be a problem.”

Adrien made a disgruntled sound at _lovely_ being a descriptive word for Plagg, but Marinette elbowed him lightly as her mother spoke.

“ _I think we still have the litterbox from when we watched Alya’s cat when the two of you went on vacation. I’ll have your father pull it out, and we’ll get everything ready. Do you have an idea of how long it would take you to get here?_ ”

“Um…” the dark-haired woman looked around as the model slipped his arm around her waist, eyes searching his gaze as he shrugged. “Maybe about forty minutes or so?” her eyes asked him for confirmation, and he nodded. He was usually quick about getting ready, and since she had suggested the time frame he had no doubts that she could manage it.

“ _Sounds wonderful. I’ll wait to cook the eggs until you’re on the way!_ ”

“Thank you, Mom,” the petite woman laughed. “We’ll see you soon!”

“ _Merry Christmas, Marinette, Adrien.”_

“Merry Christmas,” the couple responded in unison, though Marinette added the endearing _Maman_ to the end of hers. They heard a giggle from the older woman on the line. Adrien wasn’t sure exactly what Sabine was thinking, having caught them together in the morning, but the thought made his cheeks glow.

“ _Goodbye, honey! We’ll see you when you get here_!”

“Bye, Mom,” the designer stifled another yawn, and Adrien heard a chuckle as her mother hung up, and Marinette dropped the phone in her lap, running a hand through her hair.

“If we’ve only got forty minutes, we might want to get ready,” he suggested gently, though he was perfectly content to sit with his chin on her shoulder and his arm wrapped around her waist for a little longer if she wanted to let him. And it seemed she did, because she sighed and leaned back against him, yawning once more.

“Just a few more minutes like this,” she mumbled, and then he noticed her ears going red and her cheeks turning pink when she added, almost inaudibly, “This is nice.”

He wrapped his other arm around her waist, grinning. “I agree. This _is_ nice.”

Marinette giggled then, and he felt her relax against him. He pressed his cheek against hers and sighed as her hands lightly grasped his own.

 _This_ , he decided, was the most comfortable he’d ever been with anyone. The last two months of slowly becoming her friend and learning more about her had been some of the best of his life…but the last several hours made him feel _content_. The _privilege_ of being able to hold a woman like Marinette in his arms and call her his _girlfriend_ was, admittedly, the best thing that had ever happened to him. She was comfort and kindness and, most of all, she was _warmth_. A warmth that Adrien hadn’t felt in a very, _very_ long time had settled throughout his body.

He couldn’t say he was in love, but he was confident that he was falling.

And, despite whatever may happen between them, he didn’t think that keeping her parents waiting would make a very good impression regardless, so with another sigh he lifted his chin. The designer heaved a heavy sigh of her own, sitting forward and uncurling her legs to place her feet on the floor. She rolled her shoulders and looked across her living room, and when her eyes stopped and she started to giggle, Adrien immediately followed her gaze.

In an armchair, Tikki was curled up, her head on the armrest, and Plagg, his golden bell glinting in the light filtering through the curtains, was curled up between her shoulder blades.

“They get along so well,” the designer remarked, pushing herself to her feet and offering Adrien her hand. He took it and resisted the temptation to pull her back down to the couch with him, instead sliding his other foot to the ground and pushing to his feet. He did, however, wrap the petite woman in his arms and drop a light kiss on her forehead when he was upright.

“We get along better,” he teased, and she laughed, pushing halfheartedly against his chest.

“Don’t push your luck this early, kitty,” she retorted.

A gleeful chuckle fell from his lips as he released her and stretched his arms above his head. “As you wish, my lady,” he sighed, but the corners of his mouth betrayed him, and her lips twitched into a grin despite how hard she tried to control it.

“Do you want some coffee before we leave, or when we get there?” Marinette diverted the conversation, turning towards the kitchen. “If you do, I’ll start some before I go change, and I’ll let you at the bathroom first.”

The end of her statement was mildly playful, and he grinned. “I could drink a cup. I think _you’re_ the one who needs it more, Mari,” his jab made her grimace, but it was followed by a laugh.

“I’m bad with mornings,” she admitted, another yawn escaping. “Ask Alya and Nino. I barely made it to class in time when we were all in school. And sometimes I slept in class because I’d been working on designs all night.”

“I can see that,” Adrien laughed, picturing a younger Marinette working late into the night. “I’m sure you did some of that while working on what we wore last night, too.”

She grinned sheepishly and her boyfriend shook his head. It seemed like his smile was permanently plastered on his face, because whenever it started to fade she just brought it back. She didn’t even have to say anything. Just her presence, her cheer, just _Marinette_ , was enough to keep him smiling.

“Start your coffee,” he found himself grinning, squeezing her shoulder lightly. “We can continue talking about your insane work ethic and terrible sleeping habits over a cup.”

“Maybe we’ll talk about yours, too,” she quipped back, stepping up to her kitchen with a bounce in her step. She laughed a little as she started to mess with the pot before looking around and almost demanding, “I can’t be the only one with bad habits! So go get ready to leave, and prepare yourself for questions! I _will_ find out something to scold you about!”

“I’m sure you will,” he laughed at her teasing, retrieving his bag from the chair by the door, where he’d left it the night before, and heading for the bathroom. He paused to lightly scratch behind Plagg’s ears as the cat stretched on Tikki’s back, woken by the humans as they started to get around for the day. Before he rounded the corner, he couldn’t help catching Marinette’s eye and offering a wink. “I look forward to it, princess!”

Adrien heard her chuckle as she continued messing with the coffee and smiled to himself as he slipped into the bathroom. He rummaged through his bag, removing his clothes and then searching for his toothbrush and razor and the small, travel-sized shaving cream he’d brought with him. Once all necessary items were found, he began his usual morning routine. He almost missed the sound of Marinette padding to her room, just down the hall past the restroom, and the sound of her door opening and closing behind her.

He was out of the bathroom before she had left her room, which he found surprising considering he had shaved and taken care to clean up around the sink after the fact. But he made his way to the kitchen, planning to pour coffee for the two of them. He noticed that the remains of their takeout from the night before had been brought to the cabinet, their plates in the sink, and he realized then why he had managed to finish getting ready first.

The blond glanced down the hall, then to the chair where Plagg had settled back down onto Tikki’s back, and then he pushed his sleeves up.

A gasp announced her presence, and then rushing footsteps.

“Adrien! You don’t have to do that!”

“I _want_ to,” the model retorted, glancing down at the petite woman next to him as she pushed back the baggy sleeves of her overlarge sweater. “I helped make the mess, so I should help to clean it up, too!”

He had to admit, though, the determined expression on her features and the way her large sweater hung loosely on her frame in contrast to the thick thermal leggings she wore was incredibly cute. As Marinette tried to nudge him out of the way using her hip, he just nudged back with a Cheshire grin. His hands were still in the soapy water despite her protests, and she grumbled as he placed a freshly washed cup into the second sink and reached for another one.

“Dry the dishes and pour us a cup of coffee and you can call it even,” he winked at her again, though he wouldn’t be considering it even himself. She’d done far too much for him to let it go by just doing the dishes.

She made an adorable noise of distress, but followed through, opening a drawer and producing a dish towel before setting out to dry the dishes. He grinned to himself and passed her the plate he had finished washing. She took it with a frown, rinsing and then drying it with practiced ease. Once she put it down, he playfully nudged her with his elbow and leaned down to drop a kiss on her hair.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she repeated again, grudgingly. He just grinned as she put her dried item in the drainer and turned to pour the coffee as he washed and then dried the final plate and drained the soapy water from the sink.

“And I already told you I wanted to,” he responded cheerfully as he dried his hands before taking the steaming mug she offered him with a smile.

Marinette sighed, but he could tell she didn’t really mean it when she shyly grinned up at him and spoke, softly, “Thank you.”

He really couldn’t help himself around her. Everything she did only made her even more appealing to him. Adrien leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to her cheek, leaning back and beaming as he offered her a warm, “You’re welcome.”

A cup of coffee and fifteen minutes later, and the duo were wrangling an excited dog and disgruntled cat for a trek across the park to the home above the bakery. Marinette had moved his gifts to her family into a new box and added hers in with them, and he picked them up before she could. She just sighed, taking Tikki’s leash and eyeing the blond with a critical blue eye. Both were bundled and ready for the cold, and finally she pulled her gaze away from him to open the door. Tikki preceded her out, and Adrien followed with his cat carrier and the box of gifts.

* * *

 

“Marinette! Adrien!” when the big man opened the door, Marinette grinned and launched herself at her father.

“Papa!” she grinned, hugging him and pulling herself up while her father leaned down in order to press a kiss to his cheek. She knew she was acting a little childish, but Christmas morning always seemed to have that effect on her. But of course her father didn’t mind, as he kissed her cheek in return and laughed from deep in his gut. “Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas,” he grinned back as she dropped to her feet. Adrien stepped up to shake his hand with a grin. Marinette saw her father’s expression change a little. While Tom Dupain was still smiling and cheerful, as he always was during the season, his blue eyes were carefully searching the blond man in front of him. The designer was almost certain that he knew Adrien had stayed over the night before, and while he was generally easy-going and amiable, her father was still somewhat protective of her.

“Merry Christmas, Tom,” Marinette almost giggled at Adrien’s brief hesitation before greeting her father by name. It was obvious from his body language that he knew the bigger man was sizing him up. But a smile broke across the baker’s face and he laughed, pulling the younger man into a hug. He was careful of the arm that Adrien held the gifts under, Plagg’s carrier in the same hand.

“Merry Christmas, son!” was the cheerful response that her father gave, and after a few seconds in which the model cast Marinette a stunned, wide-eyed look and she started to giggle, he finally started to laugh and carefully wrapped his one free arm back around the jovial older man. “Breakfast just finished cooking and Sabine was setting the table, so come on in! I’ll put these under the tree,” he took the box from Adrien before the younger man could so much as open his mouth and continued, “and Marinette can show you where the litterbox is. It’s in the same spot as usual, Mari!”

“Yes, Papa!” she laughed, taking the still slightly shocked man by the arm and pulling him in. He snapped out of it and pulled the door closed behind him before casting her one of his dazzling smiles, and her heart fluttered. “You’ve been here before, so there’s not much to show you. The litterbox is probably in the bathroom, since he said it was in the same spot as usual, and then we can hang up our coats and have breakfast.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

It was more amusing than it should have been, the designer decided, watching as Adrien tried to adjust to the warm welcome from her father. She knew it wasn’t something he was used to, but she couldn’t help but feel that he deserved all the warmth and love that her family would undoubtedly offer. And it made her happy to know that she could help to give him that.

He’d given her the best Christmas already, so she wanted to return the favor.

They greeted her mother, the older woman leaning up to kiss their cheeks and hug them both. It was cute to watch the careful way Adrien returned the gesture, and it made Marinette smirk to herself, just a little.

Adrien took Plagg to the bathroom afterwards, letting him out of the pet carrier to sniff at the litterbox, and Marinette removed Tikki’s leash, slipping it into her coat pocket. She took Adrien’s, despite his protest, and hung them up after telling him to wash his hands. He sighed and followed her instructions, and Marinette just laughed. She was back at his side in only a few moments, however, lightly nudging him with her hip to wash her hands.

She should have known that look in his eyes, though.

He flicked his dripping fingers at her, and she squealed before she could stop herself, then pulled her hand from underneath the faucet to splash water at him. A bark of laughter escaped him as water droplets appeared on his shirt and the side of his neck. He slapped a hand up to wipe some away before she flicked her fingers like he had done to her. He blinked as more water spotted his face, and then grinned and reached forward to brush his damp hands across her cheeks.

“Adrien!” she whined pathetically, flushing and just _knowing_ her parents were probably listening in or even looking through the open bathroom door. In revenge, she wiped her still wet hands against his chest, effectively drying them on his shirt. She reached for the tap to turn off the water and then grinned at him. “Well, at least you make a good towel.”

The tease fell from her lips and then her eyes widened. But as she looked at his stunned expression and watched it slowly morph into a devious grin, she turned and bolted from the bathroom, nearly tripping over the rug as she dashed towards the kitchen table.

“Mom! _Save me_!” she nearly shrieked, diving behind the older Chinese woman. She was already laughing and, to Marinette’s surprise, slipped out from in front of her.

“I’m sorry, dear, but I can’t save you. You’re old enough to save yourself!”

“ _Maman_!” Marinette cried as a blond model nearly crashed into her, arms around her waist to spin her around as her outcry turned into a cascade of laughter.

“Thanks,” Adrien grinned at Sabine, and the woman just smiled knowingly and nodded.

“Stop playing around and come sit down, kids,” Tom’s voice was also light and teasing, and the joy that filled the petite woman at her father’s tone and the cheerful laughter that fell from her new _boyfriend’s_ lips was all she needed. She had already known it was the best Christmas yet, but the warmth of his arms around her waist and the way her parents’ eyes twinkled at her obvious happiness made everything even more worthwhile.

“We’re adults, _Papa_ ,” she stressed the childish name for her father, sticking her tongue out in an entirely immature fashion. He just laughed again as she wriggled from Adrien’s arms. “Come on,” she said to him, her hand searching for his automatically as she pulled him over to the table. “Christmas breakfast is always the best when Mom makes it!”

And when his face lit up after everyone’s plates were filled and he had lifted the fork to his mouth for the first time, Marinette’s heart squeezed from the sheer happiness she felt. The grin that spread across his lips and the playful banter he had somehow fallen into with her parents made her more certain than ever that this was the kind of holiday he deserved.

Adrien Agreste just seemed to fit so well in her family, from the way her parents had received him when they first met to the easy way they drew him into their Christmas celebrations, and it warmed her heart to see him getting the affection he deserved.

No matter how close she thought it was, though, she wouldn’t say it was _love_ just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter!
> 
> Thanks to those of you who have been reading from the start, and all of you who just popped in! If you like it, let me know with a comment or even a message on my tumblr at panda013!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The way that Adrien was welcomed so quickly into the established Dupain-Cheng Christmas holidays still astounded him, even a couple of hours after their celebrations had begun. The casual way that Marinette’s parents were trying to get to know him better, already teasing him as if they’d known him longer than a few brief interactions prior to this, and the way that they just drew him in was incredibly endearing. Adrien didn’t know if he’d ever felt like he belonged as much as he felt it here, with these amazing people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter starts with a bunch of fluff, gets some filler, and then gets fluff again. ;)
> 
> Sorry for the delay and I hope you like this, the penultimate chapter of Tikki's New Friend, clocking in at a perfect 14K!
> 
> Also, SHOUT OUT to the fabulous Ashley, http://piikopoko.tumblr.com/, for the waltz and her title! You can find it on her page, or if you look for it on soundcloud, it's the Valse du Coccinelle by piikopoko. It's basically the theme song for all of Tikki's New Friend, and I've played it on repeat at least once every chapter. Check it out!

Once the meal had ended, Marinette helped her mother with the dishes as Tom ushered Adrien to the Christmas tree to help sort the gifts beneath it. There would be four piles for each of them, and then there would be a small assortment of gifts left under the tree for family and friends that they would see later. Gifts for Alya and Nino would be among those left behind, if the previous years were anything to go by.

“So, honey,” her mother’s voice drew her attention, and Marinette turned to the older woman expectantly. “I’m glad you two finally got together.”

The grin that accompanied her words made the designer’s cheeks flush as she hissed, “ _Maman_!”

She cast a glance to where Adrien and her father were laughing and sorting presents, almost breathing a sigh of relief when she realized he hadn’t heard.

“What? I _am_ happy for you, you know.”

“I _know_ , Mom!” Marinette nearly groaned. “But what do you mean, _finally_? We’ve only been friends for just over three months!”

“But you liked him when you were in high school, didn’t you? He’s the same model you used to have all the posters of. You would go to his photoshoots, and you went to an autograph signing with Alya only to have Alya get the signature to bring back to you. And then you were devastated when it got ruined in the rain on the way home,” Sabine glanced at Marinette, and she saw the twinkle in her eyes. “He’s the _same_ model. I’m _sure_ of it.”

Marinette would have been happy to crawl up to her old room, curl into a ball on her bed, and hide for the next ten years. Her neck, face, and ears were all burning from the memories her mother had dredged up.

“You can forget about those any day now, Mom,” she mumbled.

“But it is the same boy, isn’t it?” the Chinese woman prodded, grinning.

“Yes, _Maman_ ,” she whined softly, another glance drifting in the direction of the blond and her father. “And please, _please_ don’t mention any of that to him! It’s so embarrassing, and I’d pretty much forgotten about it so it’s not important!”

“I think it’s cute,” the older woman quipped. “Of course I’ll keep my mouth shut about it if that’s what you want, but I still think it’s cute. You had a celebrity crush, honey, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But now you _know_ him, and you’ve been friends with him, and I think it’s amazing that your crush came to this in the end, don’t you?”

Marinette made a strangled noise somewhere between the affirmative and the negative, nodding stiffly, and her mother just laughed. Their entire quiet conversation had happened over washing, rinsing, and drying the plates and silverware they had dirtied. The duo proceeded to gather what was left of the food and put it up in silence that was almost stifling to Marinette after the embarrassment of the prior conversation. It was awkward when contrasted with the laughter and playful banter coming from the two men in the living room.

“At least it seems like he and your father get along,” her mother tried after as they both washed their hands. She was still smiling, though, and Marinette’s cheeks were still burning, but the younger woman couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yeah,” she answered quietly, peeking over to where the two men had already sorted the piles of gifts. Tom was making a show of gently shaking one, smirking at the blond, and Adrien was laughing with him as Tikki nuzzled against his side. Marinette found herself watching the two interact for several long moments before pulling her attention away and continuing, “You’re right, they do seem to get along pretty well.”

Sabine smiled knowingly at her, and the designer ducked her head as she grabbed the new tea tray before her mother could, rushing towards the living room and dodging Plagg as he headed the same direction.

“Marinette!” her father grinned at her when she stepped forward to place the tea on the coffee table. “The presents are sorted! Call your mother over so we can open them!”

“I’m already here,” Sabine laughed as she walked calmly over to the couch that Tom was already occupying, perching lightly on the arm with a smile. She held up a camera and Marinette stifled a groan as she flopped to the floor next to Adrien, where the two men had stacked her gifts. Adrien’s twinkling eyes proved that he had seen the way her cheeks puffed out with the suppressed groan, and he smiled at her.

His smile was so full of warmth and joy that Marinette had trouble paying attention to the playful banter of her parents in the background. When she did tune back in, though, both of them were gesturing towards the blond next to her. After a few moments, Marinette realized that they wanted to convince him to open the first gift, and she knew her heart was fit to burst any moment now. So she reached for the green stocking beside his stack of presents and placed it in his hands with a gentle, cheerful smile, and watched as he turned to her.

“Would you do the honors?” she took a teasing tone, but his eyes widened in surprise.

“What? I couldn’t—“

“We insist,” Sabine interjected, beaming at him with all the motherly affection she bestowed on Marinette and, on occasion, Nino and Alya.

“Why don’t both of you check your stockings together?” Tom suggested after, when Adrien still looked hesitant. This brightened the blond’s expression considerably, and her father noticed. With a kind smile, he added, “It’s always more fun to open gifts at the same time, anyway.”

“That works, too,” Marinette agreed, taking her own red stocking in hand. In recent years her mother had added black spots as a playful reminder that she and Alya had told her parents about the _Ladyblog_ and its success one Christmas day. “On the count of three?”

The model stared at her blankly for a few moments, and then a smile spread across his features and he nodded. “On the count of three,” he agreed.

“One,” Tom started then, as Sabine snapped the first photo. “Two,” he continued as Marinette and Adrien shared a grin and lifted their respective stockings, “Three!”

Both young adults reached a hand in and pulled out the top items of their stockings in unison.

All at once, Marinette knew that the first few things were definitely gag gifts from her father. Adrien’s bark of laughter drew her attention from the three small spools of thread in her hand, and when she turned to look, the blond was putting on a pair of very plastic, very fake glasses. The large nose and fake black mustache attached looked incredibly ridiculous, and the designer groaned with a pointed look at her father.

She couldn’t hold it much longer after seeing the look on his face and dissolved into giggles.

“Perfect! I’ll never have to worry about being caught in public again!” Adrien declared through the laughter, which elicited another cheerful bout of mirth from Tom and a soft chuckle from Sabine. “Marinette, what do you think? Perfect for my next photoshoot, right? Can I wear them as _Chat Noir_?”

“Absolutely _not_ ,” she nearly wheezed, leaning forward to pull them from his face and giving up when he leaned out of reach. “I’ll fire you!”

“You can’t fire me!” he feigned offense, even going so far as to put a hand over his heart. He leaned forward and stage whispered, “I know your secret!”

In a surprisingly monotone voice, the designer managed to breathlessly respond, “Then I’ll just have to kill you.”

“Wh... _what_?” he spluttered before descending into laughter, his petite girlfriend following suit.

Marinette had heard the telltale shutter of her mother’s camera at least six times during the exchange, but she couldn’t bring herself to care that much when Adrien looked so happy. She almost didn’t even want to make him take off those ridiculous fake glasses, if they made him this cheerful. Tikki, however, had no similar hesitations. She barked softly at him and plopped herself between the couple on the floor, leaning forward to nudge the fake nose with her snout.

“Okay, okay, I’ll take them off!” he conceded, reaching up to scratch behind the Newfoundland’s ears. “But only because Tikki wants me to!”

Tikki made a pleased sound in the back of her throat and quickly licked his cheek, making him chuckle and lean away from her. The wink he cast at the petite designer before he raised a sleeve to wipe his cheek made another laugh fall from her lips and she leaned into Tikki’s side. The dog sat back, fully satisfied once Adrien had removed the ridiculous ‘disguise’, and leaned into her owner’s touch with an excited wag of her giant tail, nuzzling Marinette’s ear and making the woman giggle.

“Tikki, you’re so mean, trying to steal him away,” she teased the dog. She almost missed the way Adrien’s face flushed at the words, but she looked up at the click from her mother’s camera to find him hurriedly looking away, laughing. The way he laughed or chuckled sometimes when he was embarrassed was something that Marinette was beginning to find incredibly endearing, and she couldn’t help the gleeful grin that graced her lips. To spare him, though, she turned to her parents. “What are you two waiting for? Open yours!”

To demonstrate, she released Tikki and once more reached into her own stocking, this time pulling out a new pair of fabric scissors—and with her current pair starting to dull ever so slightly, so the sight of a new pair made her almost ecstatic. After that, she reached in to find a small glass jar filled with an odd assortment of buttons, a new pack of pins, and a little pink pincushion in the shape of a dress, as well as the traditional handful of candy.

Adrien pulled out a keychain in the shape of a bowler hat that bore an uncanny resemblance to the feathered one she’d made that he’d been _allergic_ to, so many years before they’d met, and another keychain in the shape of a macaron. He had more candy after that, even more than hers, but she attributed it to the fact that her parents weren’t entirely sure of what to get him. She couldn’t blame them, honestly, but she hoped he liked her gifts to him when he finally opened them. There was a knot in her stomach that whispered he wouldn’t and she did her best to ignore it, but the worry still remained.

Her parents had mostly an assortment of candy and small trinkets between them, but then her mother abandoned her small pile of gifts to direct the camera at the two young adults again.

“Next,” she grinned as Plagg rubbed against Marinette’s side. She scratched behind the black cat’s ears as he very deliberately climbed into her lap. With a glance over at Adrien, the dark-haired woman had to stifle a giggle at the way the blond was eyeing his cat even as Tikki dropped her large head on his knee, giving him a wide-eyed, imploring look.

Ripping paper pulled Marinette’s attention back to the present, and she grinned when she saw her father ripping the paper off of one of the packages she’d brought. His new apron tumbled out, and he started laughing at the little patterns of cookies and croissants and other baked goods. She grinned at the gleam in his eyes and turned her attention to her own gifts as she reached for the top one on the pile.

She hardly noticed the assorted baked goods from her father as she watched Adrien reach for his presents from the corner of her eye. He, too, opened his gift from Tom first, though there was more variety in his box than in hers. Marinette attributed it to the fact that her father had yet to figure out what Adrien’s preferences were and had therefore overcompensated by giving him what seemed like a little bit of all of the bakery’s specialties. The way the blond’s green eyes twinkled was almost childlike, and he broke a small piece off of one of the cookies to try it.

“These are good,” he murmured, almost to himself.

“Aren’t they?” the designer quipped back cheerfully, teasing him as she reached for one of her own snacks. “Don’t you know this is the best boulangerie in Paris?”

Her teasing tone made him laugh, though she caught him casting another glance at the black cat that had made a home in her lap. He reached down to pat Tikki then, as her head was still in his lap, and carefully replaced the lid and sat his box of baked goods next to hers between them. Marinette reached down to give the stretching feline a gentle rub, and he started to purr, curling in to get comfortable once more.

Marinette reached for her next gift as Adrien tore the paper from another of his. She didn’t realize until she had torn open her own that the wrapping paper falling around the hat box in her boyfriend’s lap was eerily familiar. Adrien was opening it then, and she couldn’t help but freeze and watch from the corner of her eye as he pulled out the note on the top.

_Adrien,_

_As an apology for making you deal with allergies during that photoshoot so many years ago, I made you a new hat. I’ve noticed that you usually wear one outside when you’re hiding from your fans, so I hope you like it!_

_Merry Christmas!_

_Love,_

_Marinette_

She knew what the note said by heart, and she ducked her head to finish opening the package teasingly marked, ‘ _From Santa_ ’ by her father. As Adrien’s laughter filled the air, Marinette let out giggle when she pulled the two books from the wrapping paper, the names _Gaultier_ and _Agreste_ shining from their separate covers.

“Marinette!” Adrien’s slender fingers hooked under the rim of the hat, turning it back and forth with a bright grin, “You made this?”

“Yes,” she managed, tracing the embossed titles of the designers’ biographies in her lap and meekly glancing up at the blond through her lashes. He turned one of the brightest grins she’d seen all morning on her, and reached to pull her closer, embracing her over the large Newfoundland between them. Tikki’s tail was thumping methodically against the carpet and she let out an excited yip. “D-do you like it?”

“ _Like it_?” his voice bordered on incredulous. “I _love_ it, Mari! Look,” he pointed to the unique feathered patterns she’d carefully emulated, “this detail…they look like feathers, just like on that old hat from high school, but you’ve improved so much. Trust me, I saw the hat last week in my father’s _study_. And here,” he pointed to another detail she’d copied from the previous design but improved upon, “the one criticism about this part that my father ever made has been fixed, and I can tell you took care doing it. Not to mention that it’s stylish, sleek, and something that _you_ made just for _me._ ”

He grinned at her and put the hat on, leaning forward to drop a light butterfly kiss on her nose.

“You made it for _me_ , and that means _everything_.”

Marinette felt like her heart would soon start beating out of her chest, but she just smiled and leaned into him, Plagg making a disgruntled cat noise from her lap as she did so. She’d placate him shortly, she decided, but only because she knew she couldn’t keep embracing Adrien like this forever in her parents’ living room on Christmas.

And, as if reading her mind, her mother took action. The unmistakable shutter sound of a camera seemed to echo, and the designer groaned softly, pulling herself away from Adrien, who looked down at her softly, smiling all the while. She was pleased to see the way the smile more clearly reached his eyes than it had the first time she’d met him, and she was even happier to know that she had some part in making him shine like this.

“Awwww,” Tom and Sabine both whined softly in unison as the younger couple separated, and Marinette shot them a pointed look. Tom shrugged and had the decency to look away, slightly embarrassed, but Sabine just smiled at her and lifted the camera to take another picture

Adrien was already reaching for the second to last present in his pile. There were four more in front of Marinette, though, so she quickly reached for her next one as well, noting that it was from Alya and Nino. She raised a curious eyebrow at her mother but pulled the small package into her lap to tear it open as Adrien did the same with his.

A gift card fell into her lap, and she grinned when she recognized that it was to her favorite fabric store. She turned the card over and saw the amount, though, and wondered how on _earth_ the two friend had managed to put that on a card for her. She turned to the Holiday card that had come with it and opened it to find the message.

_Hey girl!_

_Nino and I pooled some cash together to make sure you got something nice. You owe us so much! So…lunch when we get back sounds like it would be a start!_

_Love,_

_Alya & Nino_

She couldn’t help the grin then. A chuckle sounded from her right, though, and she turned to find Adrien examining his gift. It was obviously from her mother—Marinette would recognize the woman’s craftsmanship anywhere.

“Now I know where you got your talent from,” the blond teased her lightly, holding up the crocheted scarf. It was black with a single green paw print on one end, and she giggled softly. “You must have learned young!”

“I think I taught her to crochet when she was six,” Sabine piped up, and Marinette rolled her eyes as she waved her mother’s comment off with a playful grin.

In a brief pause, Marinette reached down to scratch Tikki behind the ears, the giant dog’s tail thumping happily against the couch behind them as she tossed her head to lick at the younger woman’s fingers. With the other hand, she lightly patted Plagg as his tail flicked restlessly in his partial slumber. She looked back up to find Adrien looking at her curiously and her mother looking at her almost expectantly, and she laughed lightly.

“Well, I didn’t take to crochet nearly as well, did I? You taught me how to make potholders next, if I remember right, and I liked sewing a lot better! ” the designer quipped grinningly. She then made a point of eyeing her boyfriend’s new scarf. With a sly grin, she pressed on, “I’m actually really jealous of that scarf…”

Adrien made a show of throwing it around his shoulders and pulling it more tightly around his neck, leaning away from her with a pout on his lips. “Don’t you dare! You probably have _six_ of these somewhere in your apartment, Mari! Let me keep mine for myself.”

She sighed exaggeratedly, forcing a petulant, “Fine, kitty cat, have it your way.”

Her grin ruined the effect, but his laughter and sunshine smile was really all she needed to feel the warmth of the holiday in her chest. It made her happy to see Adrien enjoying himself so much when she could have sworn she’d never seen him smile so often in all the months she had known him. He was always fairly cheerful, but it was almost like something was holding him back, and she thought she was starting to have an idea what it was.

He tucked his nose into the scarf then, and his hat slipped over his eyes as he did so. Marinette couldn’t fight off the giggle as she reached forward, leaning across Tikki to help him push the hat back up on his head. He grinned sheepishly and murmured, “Oops?”

“Just open your present,” she waved at the last gift in his pile with a comforting grin as she pulled a soft parcel into her own hands. She felt Tikki wiggling in between herself and Adrien, but Marinette pushed the thought out of her head as she focused on the wrapped gift in her grasp. From the handwriting, she could tell that it was from her mother, and after seeing Adrien’s clearly _Chat Noir_ inspired scarf, Marinette had several guesses about what she might find.

Adrien’s package looked like it might have contained something more sturdy, like a book or a box, and she tried not to show her obvious curiosity.

She turned to rip open her gift. As she had expected, Marinette’s next gift was a homemade hat from her mother. It was red with a black pompom and black trim, and she immediately pulled it onto her head. The click of the camera kept going, but she started to ignore it when she realized how silent Adrien had fallen after opening his last present. When she peeked over to see why, she saw that there was a scrapbook in his hands, and she leaned over curiously.

“What have we got here?” she teased gently.

“ _Us_ ,” he responded simply, angling the book so that she could see the pictures, and she found herself scarcely able to breathe.

Every picture was of the two of them. They were rejects from their photo shoots for the _Ladyblog_ , and beside them were little notes. Some of them were from Nino, some from Alya, and several were from Marinette’s mother and father. All of them were slightly embarrassing for the new couple, from Alya’s sly comments about how they wouldn’t stop looking at each other during shoots to the cheerful, looping writing of Sabine remarking on how the two looked so good together.

She pretended she didn’t see the one in her father’s scrawl asking why they weren’t kissing in the photo. It was one of the photos from the winter shoot, when they were dancing in the snow, and Marinette hadn’t realized just how close they’d been.

In the back of her head, she asked herself why they hadn’t been kissing, too, but then Adrien flipped the page. She leaned over, Tikki shifting between them as Plagg stretched in her lap, and continued to read some of the snippets and look at the photos. Now that she could see better, she knew that some of them were candid photos that the others had taken during photoshoots rather than just rejects from the shoots themselves. There was a panoramic where Marinette was staring at Adrien, and another of the same setting where Adrien was staring at her. Nino’s caption read, _Really, guys? Really? How oblivious can you get?_

“They were going to out me!” Marinette suddenly realized with a gasp, turning her eyes to her parents. “If we didn’t get together soon, you were trying to make sure he knew how I felt, weren’t you?”

“We had help,” Tom tried, leaning back and putting his hands up. “Alya and Nino pulled everything together for us!”

Before Marinette could continue, the blond beside her entered the conversation.

“This is _purrfect_ ,” Adrien chuckled, and before long it was a bout of laughter that rose from deep in his gut. Marinette blinked at him and couldn’t even pretend to be offended at it—not when the sounds of his laughter struck a chord somewhere deep within her and the joy radiating from his form made her ecstatic just by association. His eyes were twinkling and his cheeks were colored from his mirth, and she swore he just got more and more attractive as each day passed by.

The designer pulled herself together after a few moments and groaned loudly at his pun. She sat up and pulled away, reaching for the second to last gift in front of her. His presents were all opened and he was occupied with the scrapbook for the time being, so she wanted to get hers finished.

It was a little silly, but she didn’t want him to feel left out because there were fewer packages for him.

It seemed like she shouldn’t have worried so much in the first place, though. She opened the card on top of the newest box only to find an address she hadn’t been expecting. If anything had been added last minute, Marinette was impressed at her parents’ ability to hide it. If they’d had this card prepared already, she would have been almost mortified because they would have been suspecting something that wasn’t there yet. And while the timing of something like this, whatever it might be, was a little early, she was suddenly very thankful that her parents were so supportive and never questioned her.

“Adrien,” she finally spoke, glancing up at him. At the sight he posed, in a comfortable sweater, a scarf, and a hat that was perched precariously atop his head, she fell speechless. Even dressed like this, the model was still one of the most handsome people she had ever met.

It was honestly embarrassing that she could still be knocked completely speechless by him.

“Hmmm?” he looked up from the scrapbook—the page where her father’s scrawl still asked why they hadn’t been kissing—and tilted his head expectantly.

“I need a little help with this one,” she blurted, the words tumbling out quickly.

He raised a quizzical brow, green eyes amused and almost a little incredulous. “How can you need my help? You’re a big girl, Mari,” his voice held the hints of a playful jibe but she could see him holding himself back. Instead, the blond chose to grin as he continued, “I’m sure you can handle a little paper on your own, can’t you?”

“Of course,” she snorted, waving his teasing off, “but your name’s on this tag too. So get over here and help me out!”

“What?” his voice belied his surprise, and she glanced over to find him looking at her wide-eyed as she lightly nudged the box to the center, in front of Tikki. She opened the simple card with one hand for him to read.

_For Marinette and Adrien,_

_A toast to new beginnings!_

_Love,_

_Maman and Papa_

Even thinking about the words warmed her. There was no denying that Tom and Sabine were the best parents she could have had, and the way she watched Adrien’s surprise melt into a heartfelt expression, mixed with hope and warmth and a dash of gratitude, only proved that they had done right by him, too.

“Are you going to help me or not?” she managed to prod after a few moments, allowing time for the gesture by her parents to sink in.

“As my princess wishes,” he grinned at her, a lopsided grin that fit his _Chat Noir_ personality far better than the public persona he used as Adrien Agreste, and she heaved a playful sigh as his eyes flicked down to Tikki. She wiggled a little in her place between them until Tom called to her.

“C’mon, Tikki!” the baker cooed, “I haven’t seen you much today, girl!”

Tikki pushed to her feet so quickly that Adrien barely had time to lean away from her wagging tail when she turned to bound the two steps over to Marinette’s father. When the Newfoundland was gone, Adrien and Marinette began to scoot slowly nearer until their thighs were lightly pressed together and the box that had started it all sat in front of them. They shared a glance with each other, and in unison they reached for opposite corners.

“On a count of three?” she asked him, and when Adrien nodded she started counting. “Three…two… _one_!”

They tore, and when the paper was gone the duo found themselves looking at a box. Marinette, however, cast a quick glance at her mother. Sabine smiled and nodded back towards the gift, raising the camera, and the younger woman quickly turned back just as Adrien looked up at her.

The Chinese wooden box was simple but elegantly crafted. It was an heirloom that Sabine had been in possession of for several years now and that Marinette had seen a number of times during her childhood. It was obviously the woman’s way of saying that it was time for Marinette to have it, but the anticipation practically rolling off of her parents in waves made her both excited and nervous to find out what was within the box.

“On the count of three again?” Adrien suggested, waiting for her.

“On the count of three,” she agreed. Adrien counted this time, and when he reached the last number, they reached for the two delicate latches in unison, careful unclasping the box before sharing another glance.

When the lid was lifted, Marinette was nearly speechless.

The box was lined with red silk, well-kept and well cared for. Inside rested two items that were also familiar, but for an entirely different reason than the box itself, but carefully cushioned with more material. After a moment, Marinette recognized the patterned red roll of material as a tablecloth. It was the same tablecloth featured in the picture on the mantle, after all, where the two matching crystal wine glasses in the box were held in the hands of a newlywed couple on their honeymoon.

The implications of the gift were varied, but they still brought a flush to Marinette’s cheeks.

Of course her parents would preface the gift with _a toast to new beginnings_. These glasses had been given to her parents upon their wedding by her father’s parents, and used as they shared their first bottle of wine on their honeymoon. They’d also managed to get the tablecloth too, it seemed. And now they were gifting these items to her, just hours after her first relationship in the last couple of years had started.

If this was a last-minute gift, there was a lot of sentiment attached. If they had been doing this on purpose, if they had been _expecting_ this and had been _planning_ on giving the same gift all along, Marinette wondered just what her parents had seen in them.

“These are gorgeous,” Adrien remarked, drawing Marinette from her thoughts. His fingertips hovered over the surface of the wine glass, as if afraid to touch, before he smiled at Marinette. “Aren’t they, princess?”

“They are,” she agreed with a smile, not prepared yet to tell him the history.

“You’ve still got one more, Marinette,” her mother cut in shortly after, and she drew her gaze back to the last package.

“You should open it so that your mother will start to open hers!” her father chimed in readily, beaming at the older woman as she sighed. His eyes were twinkling with excitement, and when she finally tugged the last parcel into her lap, she realized why her parents were probably so excited for her to open it.

This one was from Adrien, and when she glanced over at him she saw that he was very pointedly still examining the crystal glasses her parents had gifted them. She reached for the card attached, cracking it open and reading to herself.

_Dearest Marinette,_

_You know, I still swear that your Tikki is my lucky charm. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have had the chance to get to know you or your family, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything._

_Thanks for everything, and have a very merry Christmas!_

_All my love,_

_Adrien._

She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face as she read it, and then she looked up to find him sheepishly watching her. She caught him by surprise and saw the flush crawling across his cheeks, and her words fell teasingly from her lips before she could stop them.

“’All my love’, huh?”

“You already know that, though,” he mumbled, flushing darker. He missed the flush that crossed her own cheeks at his easy admittance, but Marinette quickly contained the expression. Her mother was still snapping pictures and the shutter sound prompted her to speak again.

“Well, at least you were going to accidentally confess your own feelings instead of having everyone conspire against you,” the designer quipped, leaning her head briefly against his shoulder. She turned back to the package and slid her hand under a flap, preparing to tear it open. “Imagine being in my shoes and finding out that your best friends _and_ your parents had compiled an embarrassing photo album of you and your crush.”

“I still think the scrapbook is _purrfect_ ,” he muttered, an arm slipping around her waist and his chin falling to her shoulder as she tore open the paper.

“Of course you would,” she feigned exasperation, turning her head to kiss him lightly on the nose. “Now what have we got here, hmm?”

“You’ll have to find out,” he returned, and though she wasn’t looking Marinette could her the grin in his voice. So she pushed the paper from the box she’d revealed and pulled it closer, laughing at the ladybug designs carved into the lid and the way they were carefully painted.

She lifted the jewelry box carefully, turning it this way and that, and on the back she found a small mechanism. Marinette was forced to amend her previous assumption—it was a music box, not a jewelry box. The temptation to open it, which had already been present, grew even stronger the longer she looked at the careful designs. A few moments later she reached for the latch, lifting the lid to hear the music as it started to play.

Immediately, warmth flooded through her. The waltz that played was extremely soothing and familiar, and it took her just moments to recognize it. She had just heard it last night, after all, and the sound made her feel like she was walking on air.

“This is…” she looked to the blond, his chin still resting on her shoulder.

“I had this for you before last night,” he admitted, smiling. “When I heard the waltz playing, it was hard to keep a straight face.”

“I’m sure,” she giggled, leaning back against him slightly as the song continued to play. She wondered how long the mechanism would continue the sound.

“It’s called _Valse de Coccinelle_ , did you know?” she could hear how happy he was from the sound of his voice. And, barely containing a chuckle, he managed to add, “I thought the _Ladybug Waltz_ was _purr_ fectly suited to my _Ladybug_.”

“You’re lying,” she huffed, but the music cut then and she found herself missing it already.

“I’m not lying. I’m _paw_ sitive I have the right name,” his voice was light and teasing, and she felt his lips brush lightly across her cheek before he continued, “and besides, my lady, you’re not done yet. There’s more to your gift than that.”

“What?” she asked, incredulously. She had already received a sapphire necklace from him just days before, and now this gorgeous music box. Marinette would have been completely satisfied if that was all, but as she turned to the item in question and peered inside, she saw that he was telling her the truth. A slender black box rested there, and she pulled it out with a mixed sense of excitement and dread.

The silver name on the box was the brand of jewelry that all models of the _Gabriel_ line wore in their photoshoots, and that was the first hint that it wouldn’t be cheap—just like the necklace. But she swallowed her disapproval at the expense and gently opened the small box. The sight that greeted her was a delicately wrought silver bracelet. Sapphires glinted in the light when she turned the box to see better, and she just _knew_ it had been a set with the necklace.

“I hate you so much,” she mumbled under her breath as she sagged back against him. He laughed lightly and lifted his chin from her shoulder, leaning away. When she sat up to watch him, he smiled at her. The designer blinked at him momentarily and then grinned, twisting and offering him both the box and her wrist. “It’s lovely…help me with it?”

A mischievous grin spread across his features and he acquiesced with a phrase that was starting to seem familiar. “As you wish, princess.”

Slender fingers picked up the delicate piece of jewelry, handling it with care. Adrien unhooked the silver clasp and leaned to fasten it around her wrist. Marinette couldn’t help the grin that was forming. It was an expensive gift, she knew, and she’d scold him for it later, but the soft smile on his face was worth it, at least for now.

When it was done, he leaned forward and pressed a light kiss against the clasp on the inside of her wrist, and her heart fluttered even as her mother’s camera clicked again.

“Thank you,” her voice was scarcely above a whisper, but as he grinned and leaned away and she turned to look in front of her once more, his chin once more came to rest on her shoulder.

“There’s one more,” he murmured in her ear after a few moments of watching her examine the bracelet. A disgruntled sound fell from Marinette’s lips, but she reached for the box once more to find the small white envelope in the bottom.

She wasted no time in pulling out two tickets to a dinner theatre, and she stifled a chuckle and leaned back against him.

“I hope you were planning this as a date for _us_ ,” she teased.

“I was _hoping_ you’d choose to take me,” he retorted, laughing lightly as he shifted to press his forehead against the back of her shoulder. “And I was planning, of course, to _suggest_ that I could go with you.”

“Maybe Alya wants to go…” Marinette mused lightly, and he groaned softly, muffled in the back of her sweater. Across the room, the baker and his wife started to chuckle at the younger couple’s banter, and it was only then that Marinette realized that they were still watching them. She turned towards her parents then and said, “Well, we’re done! Papa, isn’t it time you take the camera from _Maman_ so that she can open her presents, too!”

“You’re right!” Tom laughed, turning to the older woman. “Listen to Marinette! It’s time to open your gifts!”

Marinette and Adrien shifted into a more comfortable position while Tom managed to get the camera from Sabine. Before she could lean against the couch beside Adrien, however, the designer was pulled gently between his legs, her back resting against his chest as his arms slid around her middle and his chin once more rested on her shoulder.

“Can we sit like this for just a little while?” he asked her softly. She smiled and nodded, leaning into him as her hands reached to grasp his. They watched together as Tom playfully teased Sabine and they traded places, several packages pulled towards her, and kept a soft conversation while her parents bantered in light, cheerful tones. Adrien’s arms around her made her feel even more at home than being in her childhood house did, and if she wasn’t careful she was afraid she’d get lost in the feeling.

Marinette found herself entertaining wishes of family gatherings like this for years to come.

* * *

 

The way that Adrien was welcomed so quickly into the established Dupain-Cheng Christmas holidays still astounded him, even a couple of hours after their celebrations had begun. The casual way that Marinette’s parents were trying to get to know him better, already _teasing_ him as if they’d known him longer than a few brief interactions prior to this, and the way that they just drew him in was incredibly endearing. Adrien didn’t know if he’d ever felt like he belonged as much as he felt it here, with these amazing people.

It made him wonder how things would have gone if he had been able to kiss her weeks before, like he’d wanted to—would he have been welcomed into their house for a casual dinner instead of suddenly for a holiday? Surely, he would have already taken Marinette on a proper date, which he had yet to do since they’d only been together for hours at best. He would have already heard an earful from Alya and Nino about how they were oblivious and how they were taking forever, he knew. But whatever may have happened, those few weeks he may have missed out on, he felt like this made up for them.

He owed her so much.

His gifts to her were nothing compared to the debt he owed her. She had brought him comfort and solace, warmth and kindness, and he’d barely been able to give her more than a few trinkets. He wanted to do something more meaningful for her, like everything she had ever done for him. And just a few minutes in her childhood home had been enough to show him where her sweet, nurturing nature had come from.

Adrien had never felt more content than he did with every moment spent in her presence, and now was no different. The way she leaned against his chest as he dropped his chin over her shoulder, the way it felt to have his arms draped around her slender waist with her hands gripping his own, was enough to make him want to stay like this forever. He was so full of emotion that he didn’t know how he was keeping any of it contained, and there was no way for him to wipe the stupid grin off his face. He was in far too much joy to care much about how childish he might seem, and he was only thankful that the pictures taken here would only end up in family albums and not tabloid articles.

He’d only just managed to snag the petite designer for himself. He wasn’t about to share her with the public just yet.

A soft exclamation from Marinette’s mother, however, drew his attention from his thoughts. Somehow, he’d missed her opening the bulk of her presents, but now she held a wine bottle in her hands that the blond recognized. It was a fairly expensive brand, but he had seen a bottle on their mantle display by a wedding picture and he had decided it was worth it.

Seeing the look on Sabine’s face now, Adrien was an odd mixture of anxious and proud. It seemed like the brand and year meant something, because as Tom looked over her shoulder, his face softened and a smile unlike his other, playful ones found a home on his features.

“It seems like you pick gifts well, Son,” Tom’s voice was light and playful, but there was a deeper tone to it that made Adrien shiver. It was a warmth that spoke volumes only to those that could understand it…but the only person who seemed to was the man’s wife. Marinette seemed just as puzzled as he was.

Adrien, unsure of how to answer that, tentatively offered, “Merry Christmas,” with a gentle smile.

Tom laughed as he sat the camera aside to carefully take the wine bottle that Sabine was offering him.

“You’re very observant,” the older man nodded towards the mantle. “You can’t have been up here more than six or seven times, and yet you remembered the brand and year,” he raised the bottle before handing it gently back to his wife and picking up an unwrapped gift from his own pile. “And you probably assumed from the few model cars on display that I liked model cars. But you’re also a lucky guesser.”

“A lucky guesser?” Marinette asked, brows furrowed. Adrien tightened his arms around her middle, lifting his chin from her shoulder to turn his head slightly. He was just as confused as his girlfriend—his luck was _terrible_ , which was why he’d told Marinette months ago that Tikki seemed like his lucky charm.

“The model car he gave me,” Tom smiled, an expression filled with nostalgia as he displayed the box for the rest of the room to see. “This is the same make and model as the car I drove when Sabine and I went on our first date. _This_ , combined with the wine, from the same batch as the wine we drank on our honeymoon, makes you a damn good guesser, son.”

When Adrien had picked the gifts, he had no clue that this would happen. He knew the wine was somehow important, and had guessed it had something to do with their honeymoon, but the look on the older man’s face as he carefully picked up the camera to direct it once more at his wife was the softest expression Adrien had ever seen on Tom Dupain. And he was, by nature, a very cheerful sort of man, so that was saying a lot.

“You _are_ lucky,” Marinette giggled softly, craning her neck to see him. “I guess you don’t need Tikki anymore!”

The dog whined from Adrien’s side, which caused the cat on her back to grumble his discomfort in the soft, disgruntled noise only a cat could make.

Sabine, in the meantime, finished opening her last few presents, including her apron and other assorted items from Marinette, and then the group clambered onto the furniture as Tom turned on a few Christmas movies. This time, the designer tucked against Adrien’s side much as she had done the night previously, and he leaned into her with a smile as the movie he’d only made it halfway through the night before started to play.

* * *

 

Before Adrien and Marinette had left for the evening, Adrien received the most heartfelt thanks of his life from the older couple, and also one of the most bone-crushing hugs imaginable from Tom. Sabine smiled softly and kissed him lightly on each cheek, telling him to come back soon, and Adrien had never felt more wanted, in a way that was purely innocent and familial. They didn’t want him to come back because he was famous. They didn’t want him around for his money. They wanted him around for _him_ , and the model was still getting used to the feeling.

That night, he had returned home, although reluctantly, and Plagg had immediately voiced his annoyance at returning to the large, mostly empty apartment. Adrien sighed as he nursed his now bleeding hand and the cat responsible stalked away, off to some dark corner of the apartment to sulk.

As he stood to stow Plagg’s pet carrier away and get the cat some fresh water, the box of gifts on his sofa caught his eye, and he found himself smiling softly.

His holiday with the Dupain-Cheng family was honestly the best Christmas he had experienced since the days when his mother was still around, and the comfort and warmth of the day still permeated his very being. He felt fulfilled, at peace with himself and his place in the world for the first time in a very long time. It didn’t matter that his happiness was dulled just slightly by the lack of his princess’s presence, because the memory of every expression and action she had made was constantly replaying in his mind and filling him with cheer.

Adrien laughed quietly, the sound bouncing back at him in the empty apartment as he cleaned his new scratches and carefully patted them dry. They had already ceased to bleed, but at least for the night he chose to use a bandage since it was fresh.

Once the slight dread of returning to his apartment had worn off, and the adrenaline produced by the pinpricks of pain that Plagg had caused had faded, Adrien felt his energy fade. The excitement of the day was catching up to him, and fast, so he quickly finished what needed to be done before making his way to the solace of his bed.

He drifted off to sleep within minutes, dreaming of twinkling starlight eyes.

* * *

 

The Christmas celebration in the Agreste household was very much as it ever was. Adrien and Gabriel greeted each other, they ate in relative silence, the only conversation a few comments on work related things, Nathalie was there, and a single present was exchanged between father and son. The younger Agreste found himself almost expecting something simple again, like he’d received a few times in the past, but it looked like his father had put some thought into his gift this year.

In fact…it seemed like Gabriel Agreste had put _too much_ thought into his gift.

The blond stared at the box in his hands. His father had already placed his new bottle of champagne to the side, steepling his fingers and staring at the younger male over the rim of his glasses. Adrien _knew_ his father was watching for the reaction, and he knew he’d already hesitated too long, but he forced himself to laugh anyway.

“What’s this, Dad?” he asked, a light, teasing tone that he’d started to use with Gabriel when he moved out, to show his father that he was in control of his own life. To demonstrate his point, Adrien carefully drew out one of the four objects in the box and held the red mask to his eyes and said, “I don’t think I make a very good _Ladybug_ , do you?”

“Of course not,” the older man’s words were simple. “That one is for _Ladybug_. Yours is the _Chat Noir_ mask. You should be comfortable with the ears by now, I’d think.”

Adrien floundered, and he saw the upward quirk in one corner of Gabriel Agreste’s lips before he wiped the expression away.

“I am a model,” Adrien tried, shrugging. “I’ve had to wear a lot of different things.”

“Don’t play games with me, Adrien.” The no-nonsense tone taken by the older male nearly made the son flinch, but he turned his green eyes on his father and returned the piercing gaze with one of expectance. “I have watched you model since you were a child. I’ve watched the way you grew into modeling, and I have seen how your style changes with each shoot you do. Of course I would recognize when your style and _Chat Noir_ ’s style started to change at the same time. And on top of that, you’re my _son_. I’d recognize you anywhere.”

“How long?” he barely managed a squeak.

“Long enough,” Gabriel waved his hand dismissively. “I’ve been following _Ladybug_ ’s work for a while now, and I started seeing some similarities. After all the time I’ve spent following her blog and promoting her in my contests, I’d be a _fool_ not to recognize miss Dupain-Cheng’s work whenever I saw it.”

“What are you—“

“I don’t know what your relationship is,” the designer forged on, straightening his glasses, “but it seems that you’re at least on friendly terms—“

“She’s my girlfriend!” Adrien blurted, before flushing at the sudden admittance. That was certainly not how he’d expected to tell his father that he’d just started dating one of his favorite contest entrants.

Silver brows shot high on the older man’s forehead, but again Adrien caught the traces of amusement on his father’s face. At first he was a bit disgruntled that he had never been able to get this kind of reaction out of his father, but then he remembered that it was all part of Marinette’s charm. It wouldn’t surprise him at all if his father wanted her to work for him now that he knew she was _Ladybug_.

“Well, that certainly makes things easier. If you recall, we have a dinner reservation on New Year’s Day, as always, but I have already added three seats to it. Please invite Miss Dupain-Cheng and her parents to join us if they have no other plans for that afternoon.”

Adrien knew his jaw had dropped. Things were moving much more quickly than he could follow, and he was still trying to figure out how Gabriel had so easily connected Marinette to _Ladybug_ when he realized just what his father had suggested.

“Wait, wait, wait,” he found himself saying, waving his hands a little. “You want me to invite Marinette and her parents…to our usual New Year’s dinner? And you’ve already added seats to the reservation?”

“In the event that the Dupain-Chengs cannot come,” the older man steepled his fingers once more, “I will, of course, invite Mayor Bourgeois and his family to dine with us.”

Oh, that was _sly_.

Gabriel Agreste had finally learned, after so many years of pushing Adrien and Chloe together, mostly at Chloe’s request, how much Adrien truly disliked her. Deep down he couldn’t completely push her away because they were childhood friends, but the distaste he had for spending extended periods of time in her company would always be enough for him to do as his father wished and actually invite the Dupain-Chengs to dinner. Adrien was backed into a corner, and the predatory look in his father’s eyes gave him away.

That was the look he only got when he had his eyes set on a deal, or was in the progress of making a new deal that would be beneficial for the company. And it left no doubt in Adrien’s mind— _Dad wants to hire Marinette!_

Of course, he could be wrong, but he’d hold on to that hope. He wouldn’t breathe a word of it to her, aside from the few times that he had already done so. He would wait it out and see, despite the fact that he was one hundred percent _positive_ that Gabriel Agreste wanted to hire Marinette Dupain-Cheng, because on the off-chance that his assumption was wrong, he didn’t want to be the cause of her disappointed hopes.

“I can invite them,” he finally managed, trying not to let his failing composure show. “I can’t guarantee that they will accept, but I can pass along the invitation.”

“Good,” Gabriel offered a stately nod, and slipped back into further discussion of Adrien’s future photoshoots. It was a strange shift, but one that Adrien was somewhat thankful for. He didn’t particularly know how to handle the interest his father was showing in Marinette and her family. 

On the one hand, Gabriel’s interest was exciting, because her talent as a designer was incredible and she was far more likely to get noticed if he showed that he was impressed. If he was intrigued by her, it also meant that, in his own subtle way, the older Agreste approved of the relationship. In the past, he had wasted no time in telling Adrien if his choice of girlfriend was unsuitable in any way immediately, but even after the conversation on Christmas Eve at the reception there had been no negativity towards Marinette. In fact, every expression he had made where she was concerned was almost…satisfaction.

Even if his father only approved of Marinette and none of Adrien’s other actions, he didn’t think he’d mind. She was deserving, after all, and his world had revolved around her for longer than he’d acknowledged.

On the other hand, however, Gabriel’s interest was a little unsettling. If he did, indeed, hire Marinette, Adrien worried about what would happen to her. She loved fashion and she loved designing, and _damn_ , was she good at it. The blond was only worried about the fact that she could be overworked. He knew that _he’d_ faced that dilemma at a time when he was too withdrawn to protest and tell his father that it was impossible. It had made his early amusement with modeling fade and, while he still pursued that career, the workload was lessened so that he could continue with an online degree. He worried that she would also become disenchanted, and that her love for her craft would diminish over time if abused.

But…she was _Marinette_. She was happiness, kindness, positivity, and warmth, and somewhere deep down, he knew she’d be okay.

He still worried…but if he had a say in it, he would be at her side to help her out if she needed it.

The rest of their father-son dinner trailed away, filled with meaningless talk of work that he wouldn’t remember later. He had spent most of the time thinking about how he was going to invite Marinette to the customary late New Year’s lunch with his father.

As it turned out, though, the opportunity arose the very next day when she called to ask if he wanted to meet her somewhere for lunch. It was December 27th, and her father was determined to watch more holiday movies before the year officially ended. He was also determined to have Marinette join in, but because she had already marathoned six films with him the day previous she had fibbed and told him that she had a lunch date.

Adrien, after several long moments of laughing when she told her story, and several threats that she would hang up the phone if he didn’t stop, agreed.

* * *

 

The petite designer’s jaw dropped when her boyfriend broke the news.

Her blue eyes were wide in surprise and confusion, her mouth open in shock, and her spoon clinked the side of her parfait cup as it slipped from her nerveless fingers. The silence stretched between them as he carefully reached for her hand from across the table. The blond wasn’t sure whether this reaction was a good reaction or a bad one, but he really wanted the comfort of her delicate fingers in his.

So he lifted Marinette’s hand gently in his, and she gasped, blinking out of her stupor.

“Wait a minute,” she breathed. “You’re saying that your father, _Gabriel Agreste_ , wants to invite me and my family to lunch on New Year’s Day?”

“Yes,” Adrien confirmed, twisting his hand so that her fingers slipped between his own. “He personally asked me to extend the invitation.”

He could imagine the gears turning in her head, and the way her nose scrunched up while she thought was incredibly cute. Her freckles shifted as her expression did, and finally she blinked again and looked up at him, smiling in a way that made his heart squeeze almost painfully in his chest, but not for a bad reason. With a bit of excitement in her tone, she said, “I don’t have anything planned for New Year’s Day until about six, so I know I’m available. When we finish eating, I can call my parents and ask them. But you said he’d already made the reservations, so what happens if we don’t go?”

Adrien blanched and laughed nervously. When he glanced at Marinette, she was raising an eyebrow in question, and he groaned. Finally, he admitted, “If your family doesn’t attend, my father and I will probably end up eating with Mayor Bourgeois, his wife, and Chloe.”

Marinette stared at him blankly for a moment with a pained, sympathetic grimace on her features and then pulled her phone from her purse.

“Please excuse me,” she nodded to him politely, getting up from the table. “I’m going to call _Maman_ now.”

“T-take your time?” Adrien tried, but she was already slipping away, towards the bathroom hallway with the phone to her ear.

He laughed to himself, shaking his head and propping his chin up with his hand as he watched her head down the hallway. He heard her start speaking right as she disappeared from sight, and though he tried to listen, the chatter of other diners had already drowned out her voice. The blond couldn’t wipe the smile off his face at the mixture of expressions that Marinette had shown him when he revealed his father’s backup plan. The sympathetic look that had morphed into a scowl, the determination that flashed in her eyes, and her immediate move to call her mother were all signs of how she felt about Chloe. And he didn’t blame her.

Chloe had once been his best friend, but she had grown up spoiled and it had pretty much ruined her. He couldn’t stand the way she spoke to others, and it was obvious that Marinette couldn’t handle it, either. He could only imagine the kind of torment his girlfriend had dealt with throughout school, being in the same class as his former friend.

He ended that train of thought when he saw Marinette return from the hallway, her phone at her side and a mischievous smile on her lips. His heart leapt at the sight, both from hope for his New Year’s plans and with a sense of hopeless attraction. The arch of her eyebrows suggested good news, and the smug satisfaction in her eyes and the confident sway of her hips only further assured him of the fact. And even as she made her way back to the table, the subtle allure of her contented, confident stride was pulling him apart at the seams.

He wanted nothing more than to stand up and pull her against him and kiss her like he’d never kissed her before—but they were in public _and_ they’d only been together for a few days, so he didn’t think she’d let him get by with that… _yet._

As the petite designer gingerly sat back in her chair, she cast her bright smile his way.

“Everything is set!” she declared cheerfully. “My parents are free and would love to join you and your father for dinner on New Year’s.”

“You didn’t have to call immediately,” he reasoned, though he couldn’t help reaching across the table to take her hand in his once more. In fact, the contact was so soothing that he reached for her other hand as well. Her small hands fit perfectly within his own, and he lightly rubbed his thumbs across her knuckles. “Thank you, Marinette.”

A light pink blossomed on her cheeks, but she continued to smile at him. She squeezed his hands lightly and replied, “It’s nothing, Adrien,” in a tone that was soft and full of affection. Marinette, he decided as his heart fluttered, would be the death of him. “I love to spend time with you…and if I can spend time with you and keep you from suffering through Chloe’s presence, it’s only a win-win for me.”

Adrien couldn’t help but laugh at that, lifting one of her hands and leaning as far forward as he could across the table to press a kiss lightly to her knuckles.

“My Lady is so considerate,” he announced playfully as their linked hands rested on the table once more.

“Only for my silly kitty,” she teased back, winking.

This flirtatious side of her was something she didn’t show often, and Adrien fell a little more each time it surfaced. When Marinette smiled at him like that, or winked like she had just done, it was hard to remember where he was. He could only see her and became mesmerized by the eyes that held the light of all the stars, lost in tracing the constellations that spread in soft brown freckles across her cheeks.

He pulled himself from those thoughts on his own this time as she started to giggle at herself, and then he lightly tugged his hands away to motion for the check.

“As much as I’d love to stay and talk about this,” he finally spoke when her giggles quieted, “I thought we were discussing the New Year’s party on New Year’s Eve?”

“Right!” her eyes widened and he might have laughed if he could feel anything other than affection for her right now. “Originally, Ivan and Mylène were going to host, but they have a plumbing issue and they don’t think it will be resolved and cleaned in time for the party, so they asked me for help hosting it. I know there are some other people from our school days attending, and I don’t really want any of them to find out that I’m _Ladybug_ yet…” she trailed off, pouting a little. “I’d love to host it otherwise. Really! But…”

“Then host it,” Adrien suggested. She turned a skeptical eye on him and he continued, “We can host it together at my apartment. It’s a little bigger than yours, and I don’t have any big secrets to keep. The biggest thing they’d learn from attending a party at my apartment that you’re co-hosting is that you’re my girlfriend, and while I love keeping you to myself, I can do that easier if no one else knows you’re _Ladybug_.”

 _Except my father_ , his traitorous thoughts added to the end of that, but he shook them away.

Marinette flushed lightly at his suggestion and then laughed. When she found her voice, she asked, “Are you sure that would be okay with you? Don’t you have breakable things that you’re worried about? Or expensive things that you’re worried about having around with people you don’t know?”

“Most of them are people you know,” he responded as he took the check that the waitress had brought to them before Marinette could act. She pouted at him as he continued, “I’ll trust them because of that. And I don’t really have much in my apartment. It’s pretty empty so there aren’t many breakables or valuables to worry about.”

“Are you sure you’d want to host a party, though? Won’t your neighbors get mad?” she bit her lip lightly, and Adrien tried to ignore how cute it was.

“One of the perks of having a modeling job since you were practically still in diapers,” he grinned teasingly, “is that there’s quite a bit of savings built up by the time you want to start renting an apartment. I’ve got thick walls and plenty of space. And I know for a fact that my neighbor on the left throws parties at least monthly and no one’s complained about them yet. And if you’re still worried, we could go check it out now and you can make your final decision there.”

The thought that Marinette had yet to see the inside of his apartment came as a surprise in the middle of his explanation, and he couldn’t help but add an invitation to the end. The absence of her touch in his apartment made the entire place seem cold after even just one night in hers and one day with her parents. Maybe if she was there, even just for a few hours, it would help it feel more like home again.

After a few moments of silence, though, she groaned and muttered, “Fine! We’ll take a look and decide from there if we’re hosting the party at yours or mine!”

A brief surge of victory rose in his gut, and the model beamed at the dark-haired woman as she stood and tugged on her coat. It was brisk outside today, after all, and while they had Adrien’s car there to pick them up, the few moments of being outside would be enough to set a chill in their bones.

“Let’s go, then,” he offered his hand with a smile after he had shrugged his coat on, and she slipped her fingers through his without a moment’s hesitation. Adrien gently squeezed her fingers and warmth flooded him.

* * *

 

As Adrien waited for Marinette to return to his apartment with the chips and dip ingredients she’d left to procure, he finished with the decorations and started cutting the vegetables for the veggie platter they’d elected to have. Marinette had already prepared jello shots, which were in the refrigerator, and a few desserts. Her parents had donated several sweets to the cause, as well as some cheesy bread that Plagg had already shown his appreciation for. The feline in question was skulking around in Adrien’s bedroom, the last time the blond had checked, after being scolded by Marinette for being on the cabinets.

The scolding from his owner had no effect on Plagg, but the minute that Marinette showed her disapproval, the damn cat had left to nurse his wounds. Adrien had no idea what it was, but at least it was keeping Plagg out from under their feet during preparations for the party.

It was New Year’s Eve already, and the party was set to start in just under an hour, at eight. Marinette had been off to buy a few last minute items for the last forty-five minutes, and Adrien was running out of things to do. He’d finished decorating, he’d cut up vegetables for the platter, he’d even kept an eye on some of the slow, simmering foods to make sure they were cooking well, and now he really couldn’t do anything but wait for her to return.

He snagged a chocolate chip cookie and took a bite, leaning against the counter to survey his transformed apartment.

With a satisfied grin, he observed that Marinette’s presence did, indeed, make his apartment more like a home. Even when it was decorated for a party, his apartment felt so much more welcoming than it ever had, and it was all because he’d invited her over to see if it was fit for the party. She’d begrudgingly allowed that it was certainly spacious enough, and when assured that his neighbors wouldn’t mind—and even with the insistence that he invite them, too, just to make sure, as long as he didn’t have any misgivings about them—she’d transformed the bleak bachelor pad into the perfect place to entertain thirty guests.

And with the marvelous addition of treats from her parents’ bakery, he thought as he took another bite of his cookie, there was no way that their guests could be disappointed. Marinette had already handled everything _purrfectly_.

He jumped at the sound of a buzzer and rushed towards the door, peering through the peephole. At the sight of the woman in question, he immediately pulled open the door so she could step in and set her bags down.

“Thanks!” she grinned, laughing.

“What did you buy?” he asked incredulously, staring at her abundance of bags. He’d expected three or four, but it seems she’d picked up a few other items as well. “Let me help you with those!”

She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to press a light kiss to his cheek as he took a few bags from her. Adrien chuckled and closed the door gently with his foot, following her as she made her way to his kitchen.

“I bought chips and dip, like I intended to,” she started, “but I also bought the ingredients for a fruit salad. We had vegetables but not fruit, and it didn’t seem right. I also picked up a glass dish and some candy to sit in the middle of the coffee table, and some cheese and crackers. Is there something else I should go grab?”

“I think you’ve got enough,” he laughed, helping her as she started to organize the food on the cabinets to make room for her new additions. “The question now is if we can get everything ready for when the others start arriving!”

“Of course we can,” she nudged him lightly with her elbow. “Now help me open these cans so I can whip up the fruit salad!”

“As my princess commands,” he quipped with an incline of his head. She laughed and handed him the can opener, and he dropped a light kiss on her hair before setting to the task he’d been assigned.

They had only just finished with the food preparations when the doorbell buzzed.

“I’ll get it,” Adrien offered with a smile, and Marinette nodded as she continued to reorganize the foot on the counter. Her designer’s eye would not be defeated, as the blond had learned, so he let her be and made his way to the door.

When it opened to reveal Ivan, Mylène, Kim, Alix, and Max, the first words out of Alix’s mouth were the mischievous, “Let the party begin!”

* * *

 

 

As eleven o’clock neared, Adrien could only just feel the effects of the alcohol. He hadn’t had many drinks in the three hours the party had been going, and as a host he felt like it would be best if he kept _most_ of his faculties intact. That said, he was perfectly content to watch the tipsy and drunken antics of his friends as they danced or chatted. An old playlist that Nino had given him for parties that had never happened played through a stereo and he had given little attention to the songs until a squeal rent the air nearby.

 _Marinette_.

“I remember this song!” she gushed excitedly, some of her drink sloshing over the side of her glass. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks flushed and Adrien was having trouble remembering the exact number of drinks that she had consumed. More than him, definitely, but just how many?

He decided that he didn’t care when she nearly slammed her drink on the counter and slipped her hands in his, pulling him to the space they’d cleared of furniture to serve as a dance floor.

“Mari, what are you—“

“Dance with me!” she beamed, ignoring the beer in his hand and giving him no time to set it down. She didn’t seem to mind as she started bouncing and swaying with the beat, and Adrien felt himself being drawn in. The way her laugh sounded into the air, crystal clear and beautiful, made it impossible for him to protest. Her twinkling eyes and her sparkling smile made his slightly muddled mind go blank.

No, he wasn’t drunk, but _she_ was, and the sight was _intoxicating_.

He tried to ignore the way that an equally tipsy Rose was egging Marinette on, or the way that Juleka didn’t bother trying to stop Rose, even though she had barely had three glasses of punch the entire time they were there. He especially tried to ignore the faces that Kim was teasingly making at him over Alix’s head as the two danced together.

_Oh, right. No one knows we’re dating yet._

It wasn’t like they’d been hiding the fact, though, so some of their friends had to suspect that something was going on. They just hadn’t made a statement about their relationship yet. It’s not like it was something they _had_ to do, after all. And, with Marinette as drunk and affectionate as she was, he mused as she pulled him in for a kiss, it definitely wouldn’t be long before the rest of their guests knew without a doubt that both of them were off the market.

Her lips tasted of fruit and punch, and the tang of fruit and alcohol was just as tantalizing as her starlight eyes. He dropped his free hand to her hip, lightly squeezing as he kissed her back. She giggled against his mouth and lunged, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck and forcing him to take a step back for balance. He couldn’t help but laugh as she broke the kiss to pepper his cheeks and nose with butterfly kisses, pointedly ignoring the way that Juleka was blatantly snapping photos on her phone.

Marinette dropped back to her feet, still beaming, and continued to dance to the beat. The model took a quick drink from his beer and started to dance with her. Maybe, if he was lucky, she’d kiss him like that again.

When her phone went off just after eleven, she blinked in surprise. As she fumbled to reach it, slipping it from her pocket, she smiled and laughed.

“Alya’s calling me on FaceTime!” she showed him with a giggle. And then she answered it with, “Alyaaaaaa! You’re missing the party!”

Adrien chuckled at her whine, but continued to watch over her shoulder as Alya grinned back.

“I’m having a party myself!” the redhead laughed, waggling her fingers at Marinette. “Happy New Years from Italy!”

“Wait— _Italy_? When did you go to _Italy_?!” Marinette blinked in surprise. Adrien was confused, too. Alya’s business trip had been to the mountains, a famous French ski resort, not to Italy. “Weren’t you at Méribel?”

“Well, we _were_ ,” Alya said, and then she started giggling. From her flushed cheeks, Adrien could tell that she, too, had been drinking. “But, well, it’s the New Year, at least for me, and I couldn’t keep this a secret from you anymore!”

“Keep what a secret?!” the petite designer cried indignantly. “You’ve been keeping a secret?!”

“I’ve been seeing someone,” Alya admitted, grinning. “And we just eloped and got married!” She giggled and lifted her hand in front of the phone. On her left ring finger glittered a modest diamond, and even Adrien was caught completely off guard. Marinette was making a strangled sound between an excited squeal and a confused screech.

“ _YOU’RE MARRIED?_ ” Marinette finally found her voice, and Adrien flinched back a little as everyone turned to look at the dark-haired woman and how she stared at her phone. When she looked up to see everyone’s expressions she blinked and cried, “Alya’s _married!_ ”

“ _Whaaaaat?!”_ Alix screeched, stumbling into Kim. Rose flopped down in an armchair in disbelief and Juleka’s eyes widened momentarily.

“To _who_?!” Ivan demanded, trying to get up from the couch but sitting back down when Mylène grabbed his arm. He’d already stumbled and fallen three times, and he had at least one bruise to prove it. “Do we know him?!”

“Hey, Alya, do we—“

As soon as Marinette returned her attention to the phone, Alya’s image was glitching and, moments later, the call was disconnected. The screen of Marinette’s phone went dark and she stared at it in open-mouthed silence for several long seconds. Adrien groaned at the horrible timing and Marinette let out a distressed wail when she had regained her senses.

“My phone just _died_!” she lamented. “I can’t even text her about it now!”

A few of the other guests pulled out their own phones to text Alya themselves. Juleka groaned when she received a response and she announced, “Alya refuses to tell any of us who she’s married to before she tells Marinette.”

Everyone groaned but the party continued. Marinette headed to Adrien’s room to put her phone on his charger, returning and downing the rest of the drink she’d left on the cabinet before returning to her boyfriend’s side. At her pouting expression, he couldn’t help but lightly cup her cheek and lean in to give her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“C’mon, Marinette, it will be fine,” he soothed, downing the last of his own beer before tossing the bottle in a nearby trashcan. “Dance with me a little more, and then we’ll grab your phone and FaceTime Alya again when it’s charged. How does that sound?”

“Fine,” she sighed, but the twinkle in her eyes showed that she was perfectly amenable to that solution as her hands intertwined with his and she pulled him towards their dance floor once more. “Two dances, kitty cat, and then we see if my phone has enough juice to call Alya back!”

“As you wish,” he winked. Her cheeks flushed and then the dark-haired woman giggled, starting to sway to the new, upbeat song that started playing. He followed suit, once more ignoring the looks from Marinette’s friends and sort-of coworkers as they made their way through the next two songs.

The third tune began to play and Marinette groaned.

“I want to call Alya back, but I want to keep dancing, too!” she whined. The blond laughed softly to himself, reaching forward to place a hand in the small of her back and pull her near.

He was about to suggest that they go call Alya when his own phone started to go off. With his free hand, he reached into his pocket and blinked confusedly at the screen. Nino wanted to FaceTime? But he was on vacation with… _oh my God_.

“Nino?!” Marinette glanced at the screen. “Answer it! Maybe he knows who Alya eloped with!”

The way her eyes widened after she said it led Adrien to the conclusion that, even drunk, Marinette had reached the same possible conclusion as he had, and he answered the call.

“Hey man!” Nino waved at him. “Happy New Year!”

“From Italy?” Adrien quirked an eyebrow at the screen. He heard Marinette stifle a small squeak but then she had ducked under his arms, her back to his chest, to be a part of the conversation. With a light chuckle, he wrapped his arm around her stomach and dropped his chin on her head.

Nino’s sheepish grin said it all.

“Oh my _God_!” Marinette cried, reaching to grab the Adrien’s wrist with one hand to pull the phone closer. “Nino, put Alya on _now_!”

“I’m right here, sheesh!” Alya’s voice giggled, and she slid into the picture. Nino grinned and dropped his arm around her shoulders. “Hold up your ring, hon, and show it off!” she teased him.

The duo held up their left hands in unison to reveal that each now wore rings on the fourth finger. After a few more moments, Adrien could make out that there was still a headband of white flowers in Alya’s hair, and the top of her strapless dress was white. Nino wore a dressy shirt and vest, and his best friend was almost positive that the wedding reception was still going strong. They had to have eloped to Italy so that Nino’s family could witness the marriage.

Marinette took a deep breath.

 _“ALYA AND NINO GOT MARRIED!”_ she very nearly screeched to the room at large. The chatter going on faltered, and then cheers and congratulations were being thrown in the direction of the FaceTiming couples. Adrien snorted in laughter as his petite girlfriend turned her attention back to the newlywed couple on the phone screen.

“Tell everyone we said thanks?” Nino suggested tentatively, looking slightly bemused.

“We’ll tell them later. When were you going to tell me you were even _together_?!” Marinette asked indignantly. “How _long_ have you been together? What happened to being each other’s maid of honor?”

“We want to have an official ceremony when we get back to France,” Alya admitted, grinning. “And I still want you to make my actual wedding dress if you’re still up for it, girl. Besides, we were waiting for you to notice that we were together, and you never _did_ , so we decided to surprise you for the New Year!”

“Well, that’s certainly one way to do it,” Adrien remarked drily. Alya’s eyes flicked to him for the first time and then back down to Marinette, and widened.

“Adrien! I didn’t even see you there!” the journalist gasped. And then she looked back and forth and furrowed her brows, continuing, “Wait, you guys are standing so _close_ —“

“If you get to keep your secrets, I get to keep mine, _Mrs. DJ_ ,” Marinette cut her best friend off, emphasizing the title she’d given Alya on the fly and sticking her tongue out childishly before hanging up. “And to think I was going to tell her about you tonight!” she remarked to Adrien, tilting her head up. A mischievous grin spread across her cheeks. “I guess she’ll just have to wait!”

Adrien stowed his phone in his pocket before spinning Marinette in his arms so that she faced him. With a flirtatious smirk, he practically purred, “Good. That means I get to keep you to myself for a little longer.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” she teased back, her arms sliding around his neck.

 _Okay,_ he thought as she captured his lips in a cheerful kiss, _maybe I’m a little more tipsy than I thought_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the chapter drags on at any places! I spent the last three weeks writing it off and on between work, being sick, and stressing out over the unexpected workload of my college classes this semester. If there's any confusion, let me know and I'll try to fix it ASAP!
> 
> In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this chapter...and my lovely twist at the end. ;)
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at http://panda013.tumblr.com! Drop in and say hi!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And it made her smile to think that, if it hadn’t been for Tikki, she might not have made it this far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS
> 
> IT'S BEEN AGES
> 
> BUT TAKE IT AND GO PLEASE
> 
> I'm tired and this, for the most part, has not been looked over by a beta. I'll look over it again tomorrow to see if there's anything amiss, of course, but for now please, just TAKE IT.
> 
> (THROWS THE FIC AT YOU)
> 
> (also this chapter is dedicated to sarahcada because she used magical sort-of-betaing-powers and helped me with a few parts, as well as TheParlourPoet)

Marinette snuggled deeper into her covers, ignoring the trilling sound that was trying to draw her from her slumber. She didn’t want to leave the warmth of her cocoon. There was a soft pounding in her head that she knew was a hangover, and though she should take a pill and drink some water, she was so comfortable. Moving wasn’t on the top of her to-do list because it meant making the headache worse before it got better and leaving the cozy bed.

The sound was persistent and she wanted to continue ignoring it, but a groan sounded and she allowed her eyes to flutter open. Only then did she realize the light filtering between the dark curtains of the bedroom, the digital clock lazily flashing sometime past eleven in the morning, and her phone flashing from the charger on the bedside table. Even from her odd angle she could see her best friend’s face on the screen. When Marinette reached forward and peered at the phone, she saw that she had missed 4 other video calls from Alya.

With a sigh, she removed the phone from the charger and propped herself up on her elbow to answer the video call.

As soon as she clicked answer, she heard the aggravated tones of her best friend.

“UGH!  _ Finally _ !” Alya shouted, frowning at Marinette. The designer winced at the volume and sighed.

“Sorry, Alya, I was asleep,” she groaned.

“Of  _ course _ you were! I can  _ tell _ you were! You look like you drank three bottles of wine  _ yourself _ , girl!” the redhead accused. “But it’s almost half past noon here, so you should probably start to get out of bed anyway! I know how you like to sleep in, snuggled in your—that’s not your ladybug bedspread.”

Marinette looked down at the black and green checkered bedspread and blinked. “No, it’s not.”

“Marinette,  _ where are you? _ ” Alya hissed softly.

Before the dark-haired woman could answer, the bed shifted and a soft pressure rested on her shoulder. She glanced over to see Adrien rubbing at his eyes with the arm he’s not using to prop himself up, his chin on her shoulder. After a yawn he blinked and asked, “Hmmm? Oh, did Alya call you back, babe?”

“Mhm,” she found herself answering easily, yawning softly soon after he did so. She tilted her head to press a light kiss to his jaw and he shifted to brush a light kiss across her cheek. A moment later, she realized that her silent friend was still waiting on an answer. “I’m at Adrien’s, Alya. Now how’s the honeymooning?”

“I… _ what?! _ ” Alya stuttered. “W-what is this _?! Forget  _ my honeymoon… _ WHAT IS THIS?!  _ When were you going to  _ tell _ me _?!" _

At Alya’s shrill tone, both Marinette and Adrien winced. The petite designer leaned back against Adrien as his hand dropped lightly around her waist and she mused, "Ohhhh...I didn't tell you, did I?"

"Just how  _ long _ has it  _ been? _ ” Alya was trying her hardest not to explode, and Marinette could see that. As her best friend for  _ years _ , however, Marinette knew it was only a matter of time, and therefore she allowed Adrien to snuggle closer to her back and get comfortable as she counted down to Alya’s breaking point. Finally, she was rewarded when the redhead repeated, “ _ How long has it been?! _ Nino!  _ Nino _ , wake  _ up _ ! NINO,  _ WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME THEY WERE EXCLUSIVE?!” _

"He didn't know, Al," Adrien pulled his chin back, pressing his forehead against the back of his girlfriend’s shoulder instead, his words muffled.

“ _ WHAT _ ?!" Alya's dumbfounded, incredulous voice rose in pitch yet again. "So...you guys didn't tell  _ EITHER OF US _ ?" She frowned then and repeated slowly, emphasizing carefully, " _ How. Long?" _

Marinette grimaced. She tried to sort out the pros and cons of not telling the journalist. Pros, she would get back at Alya for hiding her relationship and her engagement to Nino. Cons…Alya would definitely give her the cold shoulder for  _ days _ , maybe even a few  _ weeks _ , and in the worst case scenario, would keep more secrets in the future. After a long internal debate, Marinette finally decided on the truth and managed to admit, "Uuuuuuh, since Christmas?"

" _ WHAAAAAAAAT _ ?!" Alya shrieked. Marinette held the phone as far away as she possibly could.

“Babe, what’s up?” a sleepy groan sounded from the other side, and the redhead responded to her husband with more high-pitched exclamations that Marinette was sure people could hear in  _ China _ .

Finally, though, Alya returned her attention to Marinette as a light snore sounded from her side of the call. With a frown, she chastised, "Oh my God, Mari, I can't believe you didn't tell me! And here I was, complaining to Nino about it and how I ruined _ everything  _ when I walked in and interrupted that kiss and he told me that Adrien felt the same way and had for like, the entire time and I was freaking out about how to make you get together and you have the…the  _ audacity _ to  _ GET TOGETHER WITHOUT TELLING ME _ ?!"

Adrien laughed against Marinette’s back and she giggled a little at the way Alya was ranting. The quirk of the redhead’s brows clued the dark-haired woman into how unamused the blogger really was. “S-sorry, Alya,” Marinette managed as Adrien popped his head back over her shoulder, grinning sheepishly at the other woman on her phone screen. “It just kind of…happened?”

“You get together with the man you’ve been head over heels for since  _ high school _ when you met him that  _ one time _ for the hat contest, the man that you actually met again in the rain with your  _ dog _ and who later sought you out and introduced himself when he recognized you a few days later, the man you almost  _ kissed _ before I so  _ rudely _ interrupted, and you don’t think it appropriate to  _ tell me _ ?!” Alya demanded, but Marinette felt her face start flaming as Adrien perked up with interest. Now he’d know about her embarrassing high school crush on him! “I don’t care if it  _ ‘just kind of happened _ ’, Mari! And yes, I see that you’re a tomato right now and  _ good _ ! I’m  _ glad _ I embarrassed you because  _ you hid it from me _ ! Even last night you were hiding it from me!”

Marinette frowned and retorted, “Last night was because you hid your relationship from  _ me _ . And not only your entire relationship, but your  _ engagement _ . And then you got  _ married _ without me there. I think I’m fully justified.”

“I think you’re just oblivious!” Alya cried exasperatedly. 

“You still should have told me when I didn’t notice after the first few weeks!” Marinette tossed her free hand in the air, nearly hitting Adrien in the nose as she flailed. He pulled his head back with a chuckle before reaching up and slipping his free hand into hers to pull it down against her stomach. Her flush grew darker as he leaned over her shoulder again, and she continued, “You know how oblivious I am, so you should have told me!”

“I agree with Mari,” Adrien offered, his lips lightly brushing her cheek again. “Just look at her. She’s too cute for you to stay mad at for long, right?”

“A-Adrien!”

Alya blinked, and then she started laughing. After a few moments she calmed herself and looked directly at the blond to say, “I guess you’re right, Adrien. I’ll just be mad at  _ you _ for being such a bad influence on my girl, then!”

“Sure,” he laughed, “just as long as you tell me more about the high school crush that my princess had on me.”

“Deal!” Alya giggled. Nino leaned into the frame, putting his glasses on then, and blinked blearily at them.

“Wait, is that what you’re screaming about?” he asked sluggishly. “Whoa, what’re they doing in Adrien’s bed?”

The redhead groaned at her new husband. “Weren’t you listening to  _ anything _ , Nino? They’re a  _ thing _ now and have been since Christmas! And they didn’t tell us!”

Nino blinked again, and then a huge grin broke across his face. He started laughing and wrapped his arm around Alya as he said, “Congratulations, you oblivious dorks! I thought you’d  _ never _ get together!”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, man,” Adrien mumbled near Marinette’s ear.

“No problem, bro. That’s what I’m here for!” Nino guffawed loudly, and both women rolled their eyes in an unspoken agreement.

“I think we’ll talk about this more when the two of us get back next week,” Alya finally offered. “I think Adrien owes us all dinner… _ and _ it can be a double date.”

“Sure,” Adrien agreed easily, “I can do that.”

“Adrien,” Marinette elbowed him lightly. “If you give her too much, she’ll keep wanting more. She’s kind of like a stray that way!”

“I heard that,” the redhead deadpanned. Marinette grinned unabashedly back.

“Love you, Alya!” Marinette beamed, extracting her fingers from between Adrien’s to waggle them at her in a parting wave. “I promise I’ll update you more until you get back! And I’ll even send you some pictures we took over the last few days!”

“You’d better!” she warned. “I’ll talk to you later, girl. Bye, Mari! Bye, Adrien!”

“Later,” Nino waved at the screen with a grin still plastered on his features.

“See ya!” Adrien returned with an equally dopey grin as Marinette giggled and also said her farewells. The screen went dark as the call disconnected, and the designer felt her boyfriend slump back to the bed behind her, both arms snaking around her waist somehow and pulling her back against him.

“Adrien!” she laughed as he tucked his nose gently against her neck. “What are you doing?”

“Being lazy,” he returned easily, shifting his feet slightly so that she finally realized that their legs were completely intertwined. “We’ve got a bit of time before we’re supposed to meet our parents for lunch, so I thought we could just lay here for a few minutes longer.”

“As long as we don’t fall back asleep,” Marinette agreed. 

She still wasn’t ready to face the day yet, after all. It was cozy and comfortable in Adrien’s bed, and she didn’t want to get up. 

The last thing she clearly remembered from last night was trying to clean up after the last of their guests had left, and lounging on the couch. She’d been pretty tired, and from what she remembered she’d also had a drink or two too many. When she tried, she remembered pulling Adrien into his room as she collapsed on one side of his bed, rolling onto her side and gesturing for him to lay down, and then snuggling up against him when he did join her.

“I can’t believe Alya and Nino are married,” she finally said, wiggling until his arms loosened and turning to snuggle against him like she had the night before. His arms pulled her against him again and he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before lifting his chin to rest atop her head and she nuzzled closer. She gently rested her forehead against his collarbone and sighed, relaxing into him.

“Neither can I,” Adrien laughed a little. “I mean, I thought he had a girlfriend, but I never heard who she was, so I didn’t really think about it too much. I find it harder to believe that Alya never  _ told _ you, though!”

“I’m so annoyed!” Marinette whined, though she giggled at herself. “I may be oblivious, but it’s no reason to be so mean!”

“It’s okay, I won’t hide my relationship from you,” Adrien said lightly, his grip tightening in a hug for a moment. “I’ll tell you up-front: I’m dating the most  _ gorgeous _ designer that models her own designs. I don’t know if you know her. She goes by  _ Ladybug _ to the public, but I get to call her  _ Princess _ sometimes.”

“Shut up, you!” she nudged him in the gut and, after a brief exhale, he laughed. It was a light, playful, and incredibly happy sound.

“Hey, I’m just trying to be honest!” his fingers danced to her sides and she yelped before flushing and pulling away a little, raising her hands to cover her mouth. His green eyes narrowed and then a very  _ Chat Noir _ smirk crept across his lips as he wiggled his fingers against her sides again. She squirmed and moved away, hands still over her mouth. She tried to glare at him, she really did, but she knew it didn’t deter him. “I’m allowed to call my girlfriend  _ beautiful _ , right? Oh, wait, I think I called you  _ gorgeous _ the first time. My point still stands, though, Princess.”

“Adrien!” she groaned, drawing out his name as she covered her face. “Stop exaggerating!”

Those traitorous fingers danced a jig up her sides and she nearly shrieked, clamping her hands over her mouth to stifle the sound as she rolled away from him. Unfortunately for her, the blond had been expecting it and rolled with her until she was pinned beneath him. With a wicked, mischievous gleam in his eyes, Adrien grinned down at her and started to tickle her with a vengeance.

Marinette couldn’t stifle her squeals then as she kicked her feet violently, laughing between her pleas for him to cease. She nearly caused him to tumble forward, either on top of her or against his headboard, and tried to stop thrashing around as much. She was unsuccessful and returned to pleading with him for mercy.

“A-Adrien!” she nearly wheezed, “P-please—haha!— _ please _ st-stop!”

“Since you asked so nicely,” he finally consented, his fingers stilling. His messy blond hair dangled in front of his startlingly green eyes, and he leaned forward to press his forehead against hers, chuckling breathlessly as she sucked in as much air as she could. 

“I can’t…believe you!” the designer’s tone was accusatory, but he just chuckled, dropping a light kiss on her nose as he finally moved to let her sit up. He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched languidly with his back to her. As Marinette sat up, she couldn’t help but watch the way the muscles in his back stretched and bunched with his motions. When she caught herself, she shook her head and slid forward to rest her forehead on his shoulder blade.

“Time for coffee, my lady?” he asked, and she could practically hear the grin in his voice. She nodded against his back and felt him pull away as he stood and turned to her. She looked up at him and noticed that he was holding a hand out to her. “You can take a shower first, and I’ll find something for a breakfast snack. No buts!”

He had cut her off before she had a chance to offer her assistance, and she just grinned. She gently grasped the fingers he offered and let him help her stand. She should have expected it when he pulled her directly into his arms and gave her another squeeze, spinning in a circle once she was on her feet. Marinette burst into giggles as she threw her arms around him to keep from toppling to the floor, and he gave her a final peck on the forehead before releasing her. 

“I’ll be quick,” she assured him with a final laugh, brushing a light kiss against his jaw as she turned to retrieve her overnight bag from atop the dresser at the foot of his bed. “And I’ll help to tidy up some more when I’m done!  _ No buts _ !” she imitated him quickly before he could respond, brushing lightly past him as she slipped towards the bathroom.

“I’ll see you when you’re ready, my lady,” he grinned, nodding to her as he slipped from the bedroom to start breakfast.

* * *

 

Waking up to Marinette in the morning, despite the fact that it was only the second time it had ever happened, was probably the most comfortable experience Adrien had ever been fortunate enough to have. And waking up to Alya’s snappy question of where Marinette  _ was _ because she didn’t recognize his bedspread…? That was pretty funny, too. 

With Marinette, he never knew what to expect, and he  _ loved _ it.

The coffee machine beeped at him, warning him that it was heating up, and he stepped away to allow it to do its job. Instead, he rummaged for a few things to make for a light breakfast. It would be time to eat with their parents soon, after all, so eating a large breakfast would be impolite. Maybe just cereal would work? Or some toast.

A few seconds later, and he spotted the bakery box from the party and cracked it open to see that there were still a few pastries left. A quick grin crossed his features and he carried the box to the table with two small plates. When the coffee pot gently alerted him, he turned to pour two steaming cups and went to sit them at his small table as he heard the shower turn off. He smiled to himself, imagining her walking out of the steaming bathroom still drying her hair while very forcefully not thinking about anything  _ before _ that. 

She probably wouldn’t walk out like that, but it was a nice mental image nonetheless.

His cheeks burned and he quickly wrapped his hands around his coffee, lifting it to his lips. He hissed slightly when the scalding liquid seared his throat but blew slowly out and sat the mug gently on the table once more. It had done the trick—it had distracted him from his less than appropriate mental images, and left him to turn his thoughts to the dinner with their parents that was fast approaching.

Would his father be his same, stoic self? Would he be insulting? Rude? Would he look down upon Marinette and her family for their lack of money, like the Bourgeois family would have? Or would he actually be accepting? He seemed to be interested in Marinette, at least, and Adrien had been taking it as a good sign. It kind of unnerved him, as his father had shown little interest in the women in his life before now, other than commenting on a fashion faux pas or two, but the blond knew that this wasn’t the same kind of interest. This was a genuine interest in her as a person and a potential competitor or, if Adrien’s hunches were correct, as an employee.

And then there was the question of  _ that _ .

If Gabriel Agreste offered her a job, would he ask her to stop working under the name  _ Ladybug _ ? Or would he ask her to work beneath him as  _ Ladybug _ ? He didn’t know why, but Adrien couldn’t really stomach the idea of  _ Ladybug _ ’s works falling under the Gabriel brand.

She was her own brand, or she was good enough to have her own brand, so he really didn’t want his father mucking around in her designs. But…Marinette looked up to him from a designer standpoint. Maybe she didn’t quite hero-worship him as she used to, after learning how lonely and isolated that Adrien’s childhood had been, but she still respected the man and his career. And Adrien could completely understand that. He would never try to take that away from her.

No, he wouldn’t try to stop her if she wanted to work with his father and the opportunity arose.

But he  _ would _ fight tooth and nail to make sure she retained her rights as a designer.

He cared for her too much to let anyone, even his own flesh and blood, take all of her dreams and aspirations away from her.

So when she stepped out of the hallway, toweling her hair dry with her white button-up top only half tucked into her skater skirt, his heart warmed even as it leapt into his throat. She was a vision, even when she was only halfway prepared and just out of the shower. His imagination hadn’t done her justice when he’d pictured her slipping from the bathroom while drying her hair, because he’d somehow managed to leave out the pink flush of her cheeks from the heat of the shower, and the way a few damp strands stuck to her skin.

He blinked when she smiled at him—oh, God, she’d been watching him as he was watching  _ her _ —and he was all kinds of mortified.

“Pick your chin up, Kitty,” she drawled teasingly, topping it off with a wink as she let the towel fall around her shoulders. She took her seat across from him at the table as he felt his cheeks grow even warmer. In a poorly disguised attempt to regain his composure, Adrien hastily lifted his coffee to his lips.

And then her shy side started to kick in, and her hand froze in the middle of reaching for her own coffee. She slowly, inch by agonizing inch, lifted her wide blue eyes to his in disbelief. Even  _ she _ couldn’t believe she’d said it.  _ Marinette _ , the woman singularly responsible for shutting down Adrien’s systems, couldn’t believe she’d done it. But she had, and it had only taken a few brief moments to succeed.

“I-I-I…um….”

Sucking in a breath, albeit a shaky one, Adrien felt a smirk crossing his features and, propping his chin on his hand as he leaned closer, he channeled as much  _ Chat Noir _ as he could to say, “I would, my lady, but I’m afraid you’d only have the same effect on me all over again.”

Marinette squeaked, a sound that was becoming more endearing every single time he heard it, and he chuckled. After a moment, the designer joined in, 

“I can’t  _ believe _ you!” her voice held an accusatory tone.

“ _ You _ can’t believe  _ me _ ?” the model found himself asking incredulously. “Mari, you’re the one that started it!” he laughed when her cheeks reddened as she tried to hide it behind her mug. “We still have some pastries from your bakery so I figured that could be our quick breakfast,” he continued, lifting one and offering it to her.

He almost missed the challenging gleam in her eyes, and when he caught it he was too late to save himself.

Marinette leaned over and took a bite of the pastry in his hand, leaning back and covering her mouth politely with one hand. There was a fire in her twinkling eyes, and his heart stuttered in his chest as she swallowed.

“I’m not in the habit of eating a large breakfast, anyway,” she shrugged simply, but the upwards curl of her lips and the arch of her eyebrows were enough to assure him that she knew  _ exactly  _ the effect she was having on him. And he was putting up no resistance…not that he would have if he could have. 

“Well, we are eating a full meal in around an hour,” Adrien supplied when he could find his words. His attempt at suave was rocky at best, but he tried. He would later claim that no one could hold up against Marinette when she had turned her charm on full blast, and she would protest. But for now, he grinned, faltering only slightly, and continued, “it’s kind of impolite to eat a full meal so close to a prior engagement.”

“You make a good point,” she grinned softly over the edge of her cup. “Which probably means you should finish your breakfast and then go take a shower. You should probably be presentable in front of your father.”

He snorted a little as he retracted his hand and took a bite from the same pastry he’d held out to her. “I don’t think I’ve ever  _ not _ been presentable in front of him. Maybe I should surprise him, just this once.”

“Well, I’m not too sure my parents would take it very well if you showed up without showering, smelling like stale booze with your hair all a mess like that…” she trailed off for dramatic effect, and Adrien just laughed as Marinette placed her cup gently on the table. She reached forward and pulled the pastry from his grasp with a sigh and he offered little resistance, watching as she took another bite before dropping it to the plate in front of her in favor of lifting her coffee to her lips once again. He just watched her, amused, as he reached into the box for another pastry to call his own.

“Fine, I’ll be presentable. But I’ll have you know that it’s for your parents, and not for my father.”

“Noted,” she returned dryly, though she couldn’t hold the expression for long and broke into a grin. Grinning back had never been easier than it was now, with her hair in wavy, damp tresses that just passed her shoulders, resting atop the towel draped around her neck as it soaked up any water that dripped. Her blue eyes twinkled with affection and mischief, her freckled cheeks fading from a burning red to a rosy pink.

He couldn’t help feeling like he still had even farther to fall where Marinette was concerned.

* * *

 

When Adrien had slipped off to shower, Marinette rolled up her sleeves and set to picking up some of the trash that still littered his apartment. Even drunk, it seems like they had managed to clear away the biggest part of the mess, but there were occasional bottles stuck in his potted plants—courtesy of Kim, no doubt—and a few chips that had ended up trampled into the rug. It took only a little while for Marinette to uncover the vacuum in the coat closet, and she quickly had the floors cleared of food debris. The alcohol bottles were first emptied and then deposited into a bag for recycling.

She paused briefly to pour a new cup of coffee and have a few sips, surveying her work thus far with a satisfied hum.

Adrien didn’t have to offer his apartment for their party like he so graciously had, so she wouldn’t rest until she made sure it was returned to its former pristine glory. Or…well, closer to what it had been. She wanted to leave it a little homier than it had started, which is why she herself had brought the potted plants over a few nights earlier. 

A plaintive meow from the floor drew her attention down to the black cat at her feet. Plagg raised his paws and stood on his hind legs to brace them on her shin, meowing up at her once again.

“Hey, Plagg!” she giggled, crouching to give him a nice scratch behind the ears. “You stayed hidden last night, didn’t you?”

He meowed again, arching into her hand as she ran her fingers down his back. 

“Well, Adrien refilled your food dish before he went to the shower and there’s a nice piece of Camembert there for you. Why don’t you go eat while I keep cleaning, handsome kitty?” she lightly poked the feline on his nose and he sniffed almost indignantly, his ears twitching as he reared back and looked up at her with his suspicious green eyes. The petite woman laughed and gave him one more scratch behind the ears before ushering him to his food bowl and pushing herself to her feet to wash her hands and set to cleaning the table and countertops.

She watched from the corner of her eye as the midnight cat slunk over to his dish and smiled to herself as he bypassed the normal cat food to nudge the cheese, sniffing it, before taking an abnormally large bite.

That was one thing Adrien had been right about where Plagg was concerned, at least—that cat had the strangest admiration for stinky cheese. Otherwise, though, Marinette fully stood by her belief that the feline was quite a darling specimen and not nearly as mischievous as her boyfriend would lead her to believe.

And as she settled back into tidying and wiping down the countertop, Marinette found her mind straying to the impending dinner with her parents and her fashion idol. The idea that a man she’d admired for his work since she was old enough to want to design had invited her family to dinner was simply unthinkable. While she knew it was largely because she was now dating his son, the dark-haired woman still had trouble putting two and two together. 

The fact that, the last time she’d been face to face with the man himself, she had criticized his own award-winning work and offered her own opinions, though? She felt like she had overstepped her rights as a fledgling designer.

Was her career over before it had started? Was he going to tell her that at dinner today?

From the few scarce stories of his teen years that she had managed to glean from Adrien in the months they’d been friends, she’d learned that his father lacked much in the tact department. He wasn’t afraid to state, rather bluntly, what he felt or saw was inadequate or flawed. What, then, was preventing her from experiencing the same censure that apparently reached every other facet of her boyfriend’s life?

_ No _ , she shook her head against the traitorous thoughts, biting her lip and glancing toward the bathroom. She could still hear the shower running.  _ I can’t keep thinking about it that way. I have to stay positive! _

Marinette was startled at the resolve that hit her next, as her hands slowed on the countertop.

Even if Gabriel Agreste didn’t approve of her, Marinette was finding that she was  _ determined _ to change his mind. After all, Adrien was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she wasn’t about to give that up just because his father had never approved of anything else in his life. If his son couldn’t have the respect and affection that  _ he _ deserved as the man’s own flesh and blood, Marinette didn’t care if he liked her or not.

The thought shocked her, but a few moments of careful consideration was all it took for her to realize that it was the absolute truth.

“I’m a nutcase,” she murmured to herself with a snort. She hadn’t registered the cat winding himself around her feet until he meowed in response to her question. She turned her eyes to him, raising a skeptical brow, and asked him, “What, are you agreeing with me now?”

A single meow.

Marinette laughed and stepped over him to get to the table, jumping a little when she heard the shower turn off. She tried to compose herself as she set to wiping down the table after carefully relocating the box of pastries to the already clean cabinet and depositing the two pastry plates in the sink. Adrien would probably slip out of the bathroom, hair dripping wet and shirt only buttoned halfway, protesting about the way she had been cleaning even though she had already warned him it would be happening.

The mental image only made her warm on the inside, another giggle escaping from between her lips. It was something she hadn’t expected, but in their friendship she had started to notice that he was lazy with his appearance whenever he could be. He’d taken to wearing goofy t-shirts and a casual pullover whenever he could, but she’d put her foot down for the dinner with their parents. And not just because they should probably make a good impression, or even because his father was  _ fashion idol Gabriel Agreste _ , but because they were going to a fairly fancy restaurant where they had  _ reservations _ , and she refused to be too casual.

She’d consented to business casual after Adrien had pulled the most pathetic pout she’d ever seen.

The door clicked open and Marinette finished wiping the table in a single quick motion, her cheeks flushing only slightly at the thought that he’d nearly caught her daydreaming. When she looked up as he walked down the hall, she was only slightly disappointed to see that he’d already taken pains to make sure his green button up was straight and neatly tucked into the black slacks he was wearing. His hair was still wet, but he’d made an attempt to tame it, which was more than she could say about her own so far.

“Mari!” Adrien looked around the room, green eyes searching. “You didn’t have to do so much!”

“I told you I was going to clean,” she retorted, turning to him and playfully placing her hands on her hips. “ _ No buts _ , remember?”

Adrien sighed dramatically as he dropped an arm around her shoulders and leaned his cheek against her damp hair. “I remember, I remember,” he feigned exasperation. “You should finish getting ready and I’ll see if there’s anything else in here for me to do.”

A glance at the clock warned Marinette that they only had about forty minutes before meeting their parents, and she reluctantly agreed. Gently squeezing her shoulder, Adrien lifted his head and she followed his face in order to press a light kiss on his cheek. He smiled at her, a smile that could still disarm her no matter how many times she had seen it, and she grinned back, slipping out from underneath his arm to finish preparing.

_ It’s only a dinner with my boyfriend’s dad, _ she tried to tell herself.  _ Don’t worry about his job or about how well-known he is in the fashion industry. He’s just your boyfriend’s dad, Marinette _ .

Her little mantra wasn’t helping, but she had to at least try.

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later found the couple climbing into the car and greeting the Gorilla as he nodded to them in the mirror. Marinette’s hair was pulled back in a loose bun, a few strands tickling the nape of her neck, and she wore a blazer of her own creation over her white shirt. It was black, with a cream lining and pink polka dots to match her modest heels, which were a light cream and lined with soft pink. The single strap around her ankle served not only for stability but also to accentuate her slender legs.

Adrien was floored by the careful thought and detail she always put into her ensemble…but the fact that she always looked positively stunning didn’t hurt, either.

He tugged lightly at the collar of his shirt and Marinette slapped his hand lightly with a laugh. With a groan, the model made a face at her and slipped his fingers through hers, bringing her hand up to place a soft kiss on its back. Her fingers lightly squeezed his in return and they fell into companionable silence.

Adrien, however, was in a bit of internal turmoil. He had yet to tell Marinette that his father, her fashion idol, had figured out that she was  _ Ladybug _ . The possibility that Gabriel Agreste would bring it up was high, if Adrien’s suspicions were correct, and he didn’t want her to go into the encounter without knowing. He just had to figure out how to ease her into the knowledge that one of the lead fashion designers in the world had been following her progress and her blog for a few years.

Gorilla turned a corner and Marinette leaned lightly into his arm, her fingers squeezing his once more as she turned up to him with a bright grin and starlight eyes.

He had to tell her.

The knowledge that he had to do so and the ability to go through with it were two very different things. His heart was racing at the thought of revealing to her that his father had known her identity for an indeterminate amount of time. From the way he spoke it had been a while, though it could have been meeting her in person that solidified the fact.

“Something on your mind?” her elbow lightly nudged his side, and the model turned his green gaze down, watching as she nibbled lightly at her lower lip. “You look a little…”

When Marinette trailed off, uncertainly, Adrien knew it was time.

“There’s, uh, something I need to let you know before we meet with my dad,” he stumbled a little over his words, but she furrowed her brow in concern and leaned back a little to give him some space.

“Is something wrong?” she asked immediately, the worry lacing her tone.

“No, no, everything’s fine. Well, mostly. It’s just, uh…” oh, he was making a mess of it, and Adrien knew it. The way Marinette’s eyebrows drew together even further made him acutely aware that he was worrying her more than he had ever intended. “Dad, uh, gave me something for Christmas that I think you should see.”

The box was in the car. As if he’d known he’d chicken out when he had to tell her the story, Adrien had left it there a few nights previous, and since he was the only one who used this car, it had been left untouched in the seat beside Marinette. So Adrien gestured to it and, with a confused glance at him, the petite woman lifted the box into her lap.

“I don’t know what you’re getting at,” she announced as she lightly placed her fingers on either side of the lid, “but I don’t see what you’re so worked up ab—“

Her words ceased and she dropped the lid beside her, breath rushing out in a soft exhale as she reached to let her fingertips glide along the edge of an iconic red and black mask.

“I didn’t say anything to him…he had figured it out on his own. He’s been following your blog for a while now.”

“How long has he  _ known _ ?” she breathed, and then she amended, “I mean, how long has he known that it’s just  _ me _ ? Plain old Marinette, who still works in her parents’ bakery and enters his design contests?”

Her blue eyes turned to him imploringly, and he only regretted that he didn’t have a perfect answer to give her. He took a short breath and answered, “He didn’t say, but it sounded like he had known for a while. And he said he recognized me instantly as Chat Noir because he’s watched my career my whole life…” Adrien sheepishly tugged at his own hair. “I just hope no one  _ else _ has realized that.”

She snorted at his attempt at lightening the mood, but he could tell she was still distracted and, heaving a soft sigh, he dropped his arm around her shoulders to get her attention.

“Besides,” he tried, leaning his head on top of hers, “what part of you is  _ plain old Marinette _ ? You’re neither plain nor old, though I can’t deny that you’re Marinette. You’re also a princess, a designer, a  _ Ladybug _ , and a purrfect partner for a silly cat like me.”

“Shut  _ up _ ,” she giggled, nudging him lightly with her elbow again. Marinette reached for the lid and covered the masks once more, gingerly sitting the box aside to lean against his side. “I was just surprised, I guess. If  _ Gabriel Agreste _ paid enough attention to recognize my work as  _ Ladybug _ ’s work…”

“…he  _ must _ be impressed, right?” Adrien suggested hopefully as his girlfriend trailed off.

“Or he could be disgusted,” she teased, though a little wobble in her tone made it obvious that she was definitely overthinking things. Of  _ course _ his father was impressed, but maybe she’d believe it more from the man himself, and Adrien was hoping for a favorable lunch with their parents.

“Well,  _ I _ think he’s impressed,” the blond quipped, grinning, as he dropped a light kiss to her hair before pressing his cheek against the soft strands. She sighed and leaned into him a little more.

“Then I’ll pretend I believe that for now,” her tone was lighter, teasing, and so he  _ pretended _ he believed her, though he didn’t voice it out loud. Instead, he hummed noncommittally in the back of his throat and she seemed to take that as an acceptable response.

They rode the rest of the way in silence until they arrived at the restaurant they were to meet their families at. Adrien slid out of the car first and helped her out, and they entered the establishment together, her hand tucked into the crook of his elbow.

* * *

Marinette was still nervous about the impending meeting with her fashion idol, but with Adrien by her side, her friend and partner and now her boyfriend, she felt like she could handle anything. So her steps, while tentative, took on a certain confidence as they entered the restaurant, and Adrien led them to the podium at the front, where the very posh host immediately addressed him.

“Good afternoon, sir, how can I help you?”

“Good afternoon. We have a reservation for a party of five under Agreste?”

The man’s eyebrow rose slightly and Marinette wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been paying attention. She saw his blue eyes search Adrien’s features for a few moments as recognition dawned, and then he hitched the professional smile back onto his face.

“Of course! The other three members of your party have already arrived. If you would follow Victor,” he gestured to the man to his right, who gave a nod of his head, “he’ll take you to your seat.”

“Thank you,” Adrien nodded, and Marinette offered the man a polite smile as they passed through behind the waiter. A few eyes followed them, recognizing the blonde man at her side, and she was relieved that no one seemed eager to interrupt them in order to speak to him. She supposed that anyone at a restaurant like  _ this _ one on New Year’s Day had been in similar circles and had already made the acquaintance of the illustrious Agreste family before now.

Regardless, when her father’s large form came into view, a nervous flutter found a home in her stomach. He seemed to be discussing something with Gabriel Agreste, with the petite Sabine at his side occasionally leaning forward to add to the conversation. Marinette didn’t know what they were talking about, but they were all wearing fairly neutral expressions. That was a good sign, right? At least, she hoped it was. 

Her parents hadn’t offended her fashion idol, and clearly he hadn’t offended them. Tom Dupain was abysmal at hiding his emotions, so if he was frustrated with the older Agreste, it would have been apparent in his posture and expression.

“Excuse me,” at the voice, the three parents paused their conversation and turned their attention to Victor. “The remaining members of your party have arrived.” 

The waiter inclined his head to Gabriel, and the designer returned the gesture before turning his attention to the new arrivals. 

“I’m glad you could make it,” Gabriel offered Adrien his hand, and they shook.

“Happy New Year’s, Father, Tom, Sabine,” Adrien greeted each in turn as they rose to greet the younger adults.

“Happy New Year’s,” Marinette echoed politely as her father pulled her into a one-armed hug and her mother coaxed Adrien into stooping so she could place a light kiss on his cheek. He had already shaken his father’s hand, and once Sabine had hugged her, Marinette knew it was her turn to greet the designer. She offered him her hand and the best smile she could muster and said, “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Agreste.”

“The pleasure is mine, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” the older man grasped her hand in a firm handshake, tilting his head in greeting. “Please, do have a seat.”

“Thank you,” Marinette offered him a small smile as she turned to follow his suggestion. Adrien pulled out the seat next to her father with a reassuring smile at her, and she graced him with a thankful grin in return, slipping into the offered seat. Adrien took the only remaining seat, which rested between Marinette and his own father. Sabine was sitting between the two men, and Marinette knew it was just in case they got off on the wrong foot at any point during the meal. Her father wasn’t violent by any means, but it was better to be careful. He was prone to accidentally knocking things over or breaking them when he got frustrated.

From the moment she took her seat, however, Marinette wasn’t sure how to act. She felt like she needed to say something,  _ anything _ , to move conversation along, but she didn’t have any idea what to talk about. 

Suddenly, that didn’t matter anymore. A warm hand slipped into her own underneath the table, offering a gentle squeeze for comfort. She glanced at her blond beau and he grinned at her in a very  _ Chat Noir _ way, so she squeezed his hand back. Adrien proceeded to engage the older adults in a light conversation about the season that was fast slipping away, and so she sat and listened for a while. Her mother caught her eye briefly and offered a knowing grin that made Marinette’s cheeks feel a little warm, but the older woman soon turned her attention back to the others and Marinette chose to pretend it had never happened.

Instead, she chose to thank  _ God _ for her quick-thinking boyfriend, who had probably saved her from making a fool of herself in front of the fashion designer she respected so.

Her parents reacted well to Adrien, as usual, and it made her smile softly to herself. While he asked how sales went during the Christmas season and her father enthusiastically responded, the young designer felt as if she was being watched. Slowly, she turned her attention to her mother, but the older woman was still listening to Tom and Adrien with a soft smile, so Marinette’s eyes found their way to the only other person at the table.

Gabriel Agreste inclined his head to her when their eyes met and, after a few moments in which she sat frozen in shock, Marinette composed herself to return the gesture. She could have sworn she saw his lips twitch upwards in a grin, but she dismissed it as a hopeful fantasy on her end.

The older Agreste turned his attention to the conversation across the table and Marinette followed his lead. Shortly after, as the conversation between Adrien and her parents started to dwindle, Victor came back with appetizers. The conversation flowed more between the three parents then as Adrien took it upon himself to serve everyone. Marinette missed the feeling of his hand in hers beneath the table, but she didn’t feel as lost without that comfort now.

Her mother inquired about the fashion industry, though, and her interest was piqued. She started listening more intently and following the conversation with her eyes. At some point, she realized that she wanted to participate, too, because fashion was her passion, and it would be nice to converse more on the topic with her idol. Talking to just Gabriel Agreste would have been intimidating, but with her parents there, too, she felt more confident.

As long as she didn’t have to worry about holding a conversation with her boyfriend’s father all on her own, Marinette was fairly confident that she could manage this dinner.

* * *

When they first entered the restaurant, Adrien could practically feel Marinette’s tension in the air. Her nervous energy was visible in the way she walked and he wanted nothing more than to drop his arm around her shoulders and turn around to leave. She’d never forgive him—or herself—if they walked out now, though, and so he refrained.

It was kind of obvious that Marinette didn’t know how to proceed, though, so he took charge, first asking about their reservation and leading the way when the waiter was called to escort them. He greeted their parents first upon arriving to the table, and she followed his lead a little timidly. 

Adrien found it almost ironic that she had been so quick and sassy right before they had left his apartment only to become this subdued and nervous on the way. 

As it was, he resolved to do whatever he could to make her more comfortable with the situation. When he pulled her chair out for her, he gave her his most reassuring smile, as if to say,  _ It’ll be alright, Mari! You’ve got this! _ and she seemed to understand. She offered him a small smile in return as she moved to sit down. Once he had taken his seat beside her, he could tell she wanted to speak but didn’t know how to start, so he slipped his hand in hers beneath the table. The cheshire grin he gave her then was his trademark  _ Chat Noir _ smirk, and he saw her lips quirk upwards slightly. Marinette squeezed his hand in return and Adrien immediately moved to engage Tom in a conversation about the bakery.

From the corner of his eye, he saw some of the tension leave her shoulders.

_ Purrfect _ .

At this rate, calming her down might not be such a tall order. She was already mostly relaxed, occasionally joining in the conversation with a short phrase or two, and she didn’t seem stiff and unsure anymore.  _ This _ was the Marinette that Adrien had fallen for, what seemed like so long ago.

Adrien reluctantly removed his hand from Marinette’s when some appetizers arrived, and with a grin at her, he voluntarily began serving portions to everyone. The conversation, which had slowly started to include queries and remarks from his father, was still moving along. Sabine had offered a polite inquiry after the fashion industry, with a sidelong glance at Marinette that only Adrien caught, and the conversation began to shift. At the moment, it was only the three parents at the table doing the talking, but as he placed Marinette’s portion of the appetizer on her plate, he noticed that her eyes were flicking subtly between the parents, as if she was trying to find a way to slip a few comments in.

_ That’s the way, Princess _ , he thought to himself. The conversation was now turning in her favor…and in a direction that would probably please his father, too. Sabine was a very intuitive woman, and Adrien couldn’t help but smile at her as he passed her appetizers to her.

“Ah, but what about the old theatre?” 

Their parents had been discussing possible places for an upcoming costume photoshoot for one of his father’s previous employees who had turned his talents to costume design. The current set in question involved Victorian era gowns and the man was having trouble finding a proper venue, and their parents had been discussing the possibilities. So far, all the places they had thought of had been renovated and no longer had the feel that both photographer and designer wanted for the shoot.

When no one replied to her suggestion, she boldly forged on, “The old theatre is mostly used for rehearsals now, and never really for performances because there aren’t many available seats. And the chairs in the audience are still the originals, or replicas, so they still have an antique feel to the room. On a stage, any number of scenes could be arranged, so long as the necessary props were available. And what better place to showcase a skill in costume making than on one of the city’s oldest stages?”

Her parents, after only a brief pause, immediately supported their daughter. It was a good idea, they agreed, and her father listed a few key points that made it such a good choice. Adrien, as he finished doling out everyone’s appetizers, mulled briefly over the conversation and knew that he agreed with her, too.

But just as he opened his mouth to say as much, another voice cut through.

“Yes…I see how that would work,” Gabriel nodded slowly. Adrien noticed the slightly amused set of his brow and was filled with pride at Marinette’s ability to earn his father’s respect so quickly and so thoroughly. “Many newer theatres and preserved buildings have been suggested, but not the old theatre. It provides an interesting option.”

“I think it’s a perfect place,” Adrien finally agreed with a grin. “The models could pose as members of the audience or they could stand on the stage.”

Marinette nodded, and this time her voice was quieter when she said, “Exactly. And they have a lot of antique props in the back, too, that they may be willing to rent out.”

The blond man puzzled through her softer voice for a moment before settling on his father’s input as the root source. But though she had become a little timid again, her words were sound, and he found himself beaming at her. She was wearing that expression—the one that said she wouldn’t back down. Marinette was ready to fight for her suggestion, and it made sense. He’d heard from Alya once that Marinette had helped repair some costumes for the old theatre one summer and had really loved the place. 

He had also heard it was financially struggling, though, and perhaps renting out the place for photoshoots and renting out the props would help them.

His girlfriend really was sly.

“I will suggest it to him,” Adrien’s father suddenly spoke. “He extended a request that I visit his new workshop in the next few weeks, and I will suggest the old theatre to him then.”

“It really is a lovely place,” Marinette smiled fondly. 

Her mother chipped in a few kind words about the place, backing up the younger woman’s claims, and Gabriel Agreste nodded mutely. The crease in his brows indicated that he was thinking it over, but the quirk of his lips showed a slight trace of…amusement? Whatever it was, though, Adrien was willing to take it as a good sign that he valued Mari’s opinions. His father rarely showed amusement or interest.

From there, the flow of the conversation slowed as each person started to nibble at their appetizers. The topic of fashion and the fashion industry remained, however, and Adrien was able to contribute more to the conversation than before. Tom asked him a few questions about modeling, and about the different brands he modeled for, and how he liked it. 

Despite the fact that his father knew Marinette was  _ Ladybug _ , Adrien couldn’t bring himself to tell Tom and Sabine that he much preferred modeling the clothes their daughter made. It would bring the conversation around and would probably make Gabriel address that subject sooner rather than later. And Adrien still had no doubts that Gabriel Agreste still wanted to at least talk about how Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the winner of at least five of his contests over the last eight years and the mysterious  _ Ladybug _ that he viewed almost as a rival, were the same person. 

So Adrien held his tongue, mentioned a few of his father’s lines he’d liked modeling for, and listened as Marinette boldly questioned his father about the uses of floral print in men’s clothing shortly before they placed orders for the main course. 

He felt pride for his girlfriend welling up as Marinette slowly became herself around his father, daring to test the boundaries and put her own opinions forward. And, to his credit, the older Agreste listened to her with a certain attentiveness that Adrien had rarely seen. It was proof, perhaps, of Gabriel Agreste’s respect for the young designer.

When Marinette pointed out what she believed had been a flaw in another designer’s line at the winter show, Sabine smiled, sharing a nearly conspiring glance with her husband. The baker offered a not-so-subtle grin back. The two parents were practically glowing with the same pride that Adrien felt, and when he turned his attention back to his own father, he caught the man nodding as he listened to the younger designer speak.

“The hemming on the gown was very slapdash,” she was telling him, a fact that Adrien remembered her mentioning vaguely in her conversation with his father on the night of the show. This afternoon, however, Marinette spared no details as she continued, “and the beading on the bodice was too much. The design was meant to have an eccentric flare, but it just came across as gaudy, overall.”

“I quite agree on that particular piece,” Adrien was almost surprised when his father spoke this time. “Gustav was relying too much on some of the designs from last year and, in his attempt to best them, ended up trying to combine elements from multiple pieces. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong elements.”

Marinette nodded silently, lifting her final bite of spaghetti to her lips while thinking.

“I think the bodice would have been fine, if it hadn’t been an evening gown,” Adrien suggested lightly. “If the skirt had been shorter, and perhaps layered with a light material, such as chiffon,” he was reminded of Marinette’s dress, with the light chiffon overlay, “I think it would have been a better piece.”

Both designers paused to consider this, and first Marinette started nodding slowly. 

“There’s still a bit too much beading at the bodice,” Marinette stated slowly, “but a shorter skirt with layers of a lighter fabric would make it better…”

“Yes, and if we were to remove the sleeves from Gustav’s gown and make it strapless instead…”

“Strapless! That fits the design perfectly!”

Adrien stared in awe as his father and his girlfriend traded comments back and forth, practically building a new dress without any of the materials. Marinette suggested the skirts be shorter in the front and longer in the back; his father agreed and noted that a slight variation in colors from layer to layer could add a bit of the eccentric feel that the original designer had attempted. The petite woman mentioned that the lengths of the skirt layers could also be staggered so it wasn’t a perfectly even hem, and went on to suggest that a half-veil with several layers in the style of the skirt would make a good accessory. Gabriel added that a specific brand of heels would serve well, and Marinette agreed.

_ They just tore apart another designer’s piece and redesigned it. At the dinner table. _

The younger Agreste watched on as they settled on a color scheme, and then he saw his girlfriend start to flush out of the corner of his eye. She was just realizing what she had done, and with  _ whom _ , and it was amusing to see the flush of her shyness across her cheeks. She held firm, though, and managed to finish the verbal design without batting an eye. Adrien watched as his father nodded in what he  _ knew _ was a rare case of approval.

When these two worked together, Adrien was almost terrified of what they could do.

He  _ swore _ there was a grin teasing the older man’s lips. It seemed like a fairly perpetual expression, where Marinette was concerned. Adrien was starting to think his father liked Marinette more than him, though he wouldn’t blame the man if he did.

Well, not  _ much _ .

There was a brief lull in conversation as Sabine and Gabriel finished their respective meals, and then the dessert came out. Adrien took this chance to ask the two bakers about their desserts when small cake with strawberries on top was brought for their table. 

“We get orders for cakes all the time,” Tom said, a hint of pride coloring his tone, “well...not  _ all _ the time, but often enough. We did a wedding cake just a few weeks ago, in fact, that looked a lot like this,” he motioned to the slice that had been deposited in front of him. 

“There was extra, though, and we got to try it,” Marinette’s laughter made Adrien’s chest lighten even more. The young woman looked thoughtful as she swallowed her first bite of cake, and then she added, “Dad’s cake is definitely much better than this.”

Tom’s chest swelled with pride, and after a bite, Adrien agreed completely.

“I have heard good things about your pâtisserie,” Gabriel’s voice was slow, calm, “but I’m afraid I have yet to try it myself. Perhaps I shall place an order soon.”

“You’re a very busy man, monsieur,” Sabine smiled politely, her tone reassuring and pleasant, “it’s understandable. We’re just a small corner bakery, it’s not surprising that you’ve never been, and we wouldn’t expect anyone to go out of their way just to drop by.” 

Gabriel nodded mutely, Adrien noted, not willing to give a promise to actually visit the small shop himself. If anything, the designer would probably send Nathalie off to pick up an order, as he had suggested. It wouldn’t be the first time he had done it. When Adrien was younger, his father would often try some food from a place that Adrien liked, after asking Nathalie to place an order and pick it up or have it delivered. It sometimes ended with Gabriel forbidding the younger Agreste from eating at any place he disapproved of. 

When he’d moved into his own place, Adrien had resumed eating at places his father had previously disallowed.

As the light chatter over their cake dwindled and their wine glasses were refilled, Gabriel placed his fork down with a firm motion and steepled his fingers, looking around at the others assembled. Adrien, as the one next to his father and perhaps the most nervous about his father’s possible motives for inviting the Dupain-Chengs to dine with them, was the first to notice and he slowly finished his last bite of cake. As he was putting his fork down, he noticed that Sabine was watching his father carefully even as she took a delicate bite of her own cake.

To his other side, Marinette had finished her dessert and was carefully dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. When she looked up to see his father, her fashion idol, carefully observing her over his fingers, she stilled momentarily, a light red dusting her cheeks. She finished wiping her mouth and carefully placed the cloth back on the table, and Adrien watched the signs. Mari was steeling herself for something, though neither of them were exactly sure what.

Adrien found himself doing the same.

“So, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” Gabriel’s voice was slow, deliberate, and every eye at the table was on him, “I’ve been keeping an eye on your work for a very long time. I take it that you have always wanted to be a designer?”

“Yes, sir,” she nodded, a little stiff, but Adrien noted that she looked ready for anything. 

_ You’ve got this, Princess, _ he encouraged her silently.

The older designer nodded again, and it seemed as though he was trying to choose his words carefully. “I’ve seen your work evolve for the last several years, from the derby hat to the formal wear from the Winter Show, and I must say that you continue to impress.”

Red bloomed darker against her skin, but when she managed to speak, her voice barely betrayed her embarrassment and glee. A polite, “Thank you very much, Mr. Agreste,” passed her lips. “It’s an honor to hear such praise, especially when it comes directly from you.”

“Praise that you are particularly deserving of, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” a slight grin graced the older Agreste’s lips and Adrien could scarcely breathe. That was the most praise he’d ever heard come directly from his father’s lips, and he waited with bated breath for him to continue. “You made quite an impression on several big names at the Winter Show, including Ms. Charlotte Allard, if you recall.”

Marinette inclined her head, and Gabriel leaned over his steepled fingers.

“And, through the  _ Ladyblog _ , you’ve impressed thousands more.”

Here was the moment where Tom and Sabine froze in surprise, and glanced between Adrien, his father, and their daughter. Her secret as the mysterious designer  _ Ladybug _ had always been something she’d protected, and Adrien wouldn’t have been surprised if they suspected him of spilling the beans. They held their tongues, however, and the blond could tell that her parents were just as anxious about the rest of this conversation as he was.

Flush still present, the young French-Chinese woman acknowledged her secret identity easily.

“Hiding behind the anonymity of  _ Ladybug _ has been rather freeing, in a way,” Mari managed a small grin. “It gave me the courage to put my work out there for other people to see, and a way to measure how the people react to certain styles during certain seasons. I used it as a way to research trends without relying on fashion magazines or contests, and it also taught me to have more confidence in some of my work. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel that the blog has helped me come a long way.”

“You seem unsurprised,” Gabriel remarked, casting a slow glance to his son with another smile that kept Adrien frozen in his seat. He  _ never _ received that kind of look from his father, and it was both exciting and unnerving all at once. And all of it, definitely, because of Marinette. “Adrien told you, then, that I had discovered your identity?”

Tom started slightly at that news, and Sabine placed a hand comfortingly on his arm. The slight suspicion in the older woman’s eyes was gone this time when she glanced quickly in Adrien’s direction.

“He did indeed, sir,” Mari somehow managed to keep calm, and Adrien thought that was a  _ feat _ because he was so anxious he thought he might soon embarrass himself. “The two pairs of masks you gave him for Christmas have beautiful craftsmanship, too. I’ll have to take a closer look at them later, and hopefully I can pair them with a design that does them justice.”

“I have complete faith in your ability to do so,” Gabriel nodded serenely once more.

“Thank you,” the dark-haired designer beamed at him.

“In addition, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” he reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out an envelope, “there is another matter to discuss. If you’d be so kind?”

_ What is he doing now? _

Adrien’s thoughts were spinning, but his eyes were fixed on the envelope in Marinette’s delicate fingers. He didn’t have to look to know that her parents were focused on the very same thing. And so they waited, watching as she slowly opened the envelope and pulled out the sleek papers from the inside.

He watched as her blue eyes traveled down the page, watched as they narrowed in concentration and widened in surprise, and he  _ wanted to know _ . But she remained silent as she flipped to the second paper to continue reading, the incredulity in her expression only growing with each line she read. When she reached the end, she stared almost blankly at the last few lines before glancing up at Gabriel Agreste and then returning to the first page to read everything one more time.

Finally, she looked up and opened her mouth. When nothing came out, Marinette paused to clear her throat and looked back up at her fashion idol, clearly determined to speak.

“You...you want  _ Ladybug  _ to be your  _ business partner _ ?”

Adrien nearly choked as the words came from her lips. The incredulous tone was definitely mirrored in the eyes of her parents, and Sabine’s breath hitched in her throat. Adrien knew the feeling, because he suddenly couldn’t breathe.

And yet, there was Gabriel Agreste, nodding at Marinette’s words. His business face appeared then and he supplemented his nod of agreement with, “Yes, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I feel like it could be a mutually beneficial partnership. As stated, I would like to sponsor the  _ Ladybug _ brand. Profit would be split at least sixty-forty in your favor, pending negotiations, and you would retain all rights to your work should you decide to separate from the  _ Gabriel _ brand down the line.”

“And...in addition, you’d like me to work as an accessory designer within the company?” her tone was questioning, and Adrien would have collapsed if he had been standing. And his astonishment grew when his lovely girlfriend continued, “Not only that, but as the direct assistant of Ms. Allard?”

“For many years, Miss Dupain-Cheng, we have been considering your talent and waiting for the opportune moment. Ms. Allard, as we were judging the New Year’s contest, and your piece, assured us that it was time when you were unanimously voted as the winner,” his tone was matter-of-fact, and Tom Dupain’s jaw dropped at the news that his daughter had won  _ another _ contest. “After meeting you in person, she expressed a fervent wish that we extend you an offer, and there were no objections. You made quite the impression, and she assured the panel that your creativity and passion would be an asset to the entire company.”

Marinette took a deep breath and forged on, everyone else in too much shock to say much.

“This position...it’s entirely unrelated to the position as  _ Ladybug _ ? My designs as  _ Ladybug _ will be my own, but designs made in this position will always be affiliated with the  _ Gabriel _ brand, yes?”

“You are correct.”

“Would either position interfere with the other?”

“There will be some overlap, I imagine,” Gabriel conceded, “but nothing that should exceed the pressures you have put on yourself in the past while keeping your identity a secret.”

The younger designer paused, deep in thought, before asking, “My team. Those who work with  _ Ladybug _ . Will I be able to retain them and officially hire them into paid positions?”

“I propose this partnership with the hopes that you will keep doing exactly as you see fit with your  _ Ladybug _ lines and styles. Whether that means you increase the number of crew or change your members is up to you and you alone, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” as he regained a few of his scattered senses, Adrien realized that Marinette was sagging briefly in relief as his father spoke. “The line is still yours to do with as you please and advertise how you wish. The partnership I’m offering is very much like a sponsorship, if you will. I will help promote your work and, should you desire, help in mass production.”

Marinette bit her lip and finally, when Adrien was about to try to find his voice to break the silence, she spoke again. 

“I would like some...time, Mr. Agreste, to consider your offers,” she glanced down at the spot on the table, where her hands were clasped. 

“Of course,” the older Agreste once more pulled his hand to an inside suit pocket and pulled out another, rather thicker envelope. “The current terms of the agreement are detailed in this contract, but should you want to negotiate you need only set up an appointment with me through my secretary, Ms. Sancoeur.”

With a few words of thanks, Marinette took the envelope from him. 

And suddenly, the meal and business concluded, Gabriel Agreste offered a hand to Tom and Sabine to shake. He exchanged a few courtesies, such as professing that it was great to meet them and that he hoped to speak with them again someday, before shaking Marinette’s hand and adding, “I hope to hear from you soon, Miss Dupain-Cheng.”

A few moments later, he took his leave after informing them that the meal was already covered and bidding farewell to his son. Tom and Sabine didn’t have time to protest before he was gone, and Adrien caught them murmuring about how to repay the man.

The petite young designer was silent, standing with everyone else as they prepared to leave, but the blond could see that she was deep in thought. Adrien was still recovering from the shock of the conversation, as well, though he couldn’t say that he hadn’t had his suspicions. He’d had suspicions from the moment his father and Mari had met at the reception a week ago, but he still understood her stunned silence.

It wasn’t every day that one received two rather loaded job offers from their idol, after all.

* * *

 

Marinette was still reeling from the events of a few days earlier.

_ Gabriel Agreste offered me a partnership as  _ Ladybug _ and a job in his company _ .

It wasn’t something she could just get used to. Gabriel Agreste had been her fashion idol since she was very young, so the opportunities before her weren’t things she could bring herself to pass up, but she also couldn’t accept them right away. She had to discuss it with her team, her parents, and her boyfriend...who just so happened to be said fashion idol’s only child. 

Not that she  _ hadn’t _ discussed the situation with any of them already. She had total approval from most of her team, including Alya, who she had FaceTimed the night of the offer. Her parents had sat with her and picked the contract apart. They had even called over an old friend of theirs who had been a lawyer for years, and he found no loopholes. 

There was only one more person whose opinion she needed.

As she snuggled into Adrien’s side, curled together with him on his couch, she wondered what his thoughts would be. He was still reading the terms that his father had laid out beforehand. As the person who knew his father and his father’s business best, he was the most likely to find any loopholes in the contract. And he was re-reading the document for the second or third time now, so she wasn’t sure what it meant.

Finally, the blond model leaned forward to drop the contract terms on the coffee table before leaning back and dropping his arm more securely around her shoulders.

“Adrien,” Mari began, but paused when he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“It looks like he meant it,” he finally told her with a smile. “It’s a great opportunity for you, and it would definitely help get your work out there. If there’s nothing holding you back, or if you really want to take the offer, I think you should.”

Her heartbeat became a little more erratic than she had expected as the excitement welled up.

“You’re sure?” she managed to ask, sitting up a little straighter to look at him. “It’s all good? And you wouldn’t mind if I took it?”

He blinked and asked incredulously, “Why would I mind? It’s a fantastic opportunity for you, and I can tell by the terms of the agreement that Dad really respects you as a designer in your own right. When he talked to you, he said the split would be sixty-forty, but listed in the agreement it’s seventy-thirty. That’s great for a new designer, no matter what your blog popularity might be.”

Adrien laughed and leaned down to kiss her, first on one cheek and then the other. 

“He’s pulling out all the stops, Marinette, because he believes in your talent. And that’s probably the first thing I’ve agreed with him on in  _ years _ .”

After a few moments of stunned silence, Marinette threw herself into her boyfriend’s chest, hands sliding up into his golden locks as she pressed her lips eagerly to his. With a muffled, startled sound, he toppled off the edge of the couch, pulling the petite designer with him. 

Mortified, Marinette pulled back to apologize, but Adrien tossed his head back and started laughing. Instead, the young woman settled for a pout and when he finally looked at her, he just continued to grin in the  _ Chat Noir _ way that made her heart flutter wildly in her chest. He reached up and ran his knuckles lightly across her flushed cheek before pushing himself off the ground. 

In moments, he was kissing her again, her back pressed to the front of the sofa. 

Neither one of them particularly cared that they were on the floor anymore, nor that Plagg and Tikki, from an armchair across the room, were both watching with interest as their humans interacted. Marinette couldn’t even find it in herself to worry about the meeting with Gabriel Agreste that she had set up for tomorrow at two in the afternoon. 

“Have I said congratulations yet, Princess?” Adrien asked breathlessly, a grin etched across his features.

“Now you have,” she quipped back lightly, giggling when he leaned down to nuzzle lightly at her neck. And then she murmured softly, “Thank you.”

Adrien pulled away to tuck her hair behind her ear with a tender smile this time, one she could wholly associate with the adorable side of the man she’d fallen for, as he assured her, “You deserve it, love.”

She wrapped her arms gently around his neck and pulled their lips together again.

Tomorrow, she’d worry about the meeting with Gabriel Agreste to finalize the details of the agreement. Tomorrow, she’d start to think about her future and her continued double life as both the designer Marinette Dupain-Cheng and the mysterious designer and model  _ Ladybug _ . Tomorrow, she could worry about everything.

Today, she decided to let loose and relax.

Just as she made that decision, she heard a few solid  _ thud _ s across the apartment floor, and right as she realized what they meant, she found herself being bowled over by a large, black canine with a startled shriek. Tikki affectionately sniffed at her hair, her face, and her ears, before giving her a very slobbery ‘kiss’ on the cheek. Her tail made a few loud  _ thumps _ against the couch, and she seemed incredibly pleased with herself.

“Tikki!” she squealed as Adrien recovered from his girlfriend’s sudden disappearance and started to laugh. “Adrien,  _ help me _ !”

The blond could only laugh at the sight, and Marinette found herself groaning, despite the smile twitching at the corners of her lips. She shoved the overeager dog aside with a giggle and sat up, scratching Tikki behind the ears as Plagg wound himself around her waist.

“Hey, now, you two,” Adrien finally caught his breath, leaning forward to attempt to nudge Tikki away, “you’ve had your time, Let me cuddle her, too!”

Tikki turned to nudge Adrien with her snout, excited at his attention.

Plagg hissed at him.

Marinette started to laugh again. She was feeling so  _ happy _ today that she was sure it showed. She just couldn’t help herself.

She had the most amazing boyfriend she could have ever asked for, the best matchmaking dog, and she’d soon have the job of her dream... _ twice _ . It was certainly going to be a very busy time for her, but one glance at the blond playing with Tikki and she knew things would turn out for the best.

And it made her smile to think that, if it hadn’t been for Tikki, she might not have made it this far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a few ideas for side stories. I may or may not end up writing them. The same goes for an epilogue. If you guys want a little more closure, I might be able to whip something up, but I thought this was a cute way to end it.
> 
> Thank you so much for joining me for this right! And, as always, I'll (eventually) have this chapter available over at panda013 on tumblr! :)


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